The Primary election has officially come and gone. Ballots were due last week on March 3 and have been counted. Concluding with Bernie Sanders winning Colorado, and Joe Biden taking the majority of the states. When considering the upcoming election, make sure not to repeat the mistake that is common among young adults–do not be discouraged to register or overthink the difficulty of it. If you  you eighteen or older and haven’t registered to vote, don’t worry. Request for a postal ballot by Monday, June 22. You can start by going online to the Colorado Secretary of State, choosing the “register online” option or the “PDF paper registration form”. Complete the one-page form, and submit via mail, delivery, or by email to your county clerk and recorder. Inhree simple steps and you are a registered voter.

The American drive to be a participating voter might be slowly becoming a dwindling flame that used to burn bright and steady. Many refer to our right to vote as a civic duty and privilege that Americans are prided with. Whether you agree with these views or not, contributing to elections through voting  is beneficial to our nation for various reasons and keeps us exercising our civil abilities. Statistics show that the most consistent voter turnout age is around 50, with the lowest voter turnout age being 18-29-year-olds. . In the most recent presidential polls in 2018, 18 to 29-year-old voter turnout was 36%, which was actually high in contrast to other years. Our goal as young adults should be to do whatever we can in order to raise that percent, motivating our generation to be more active in their civil duties. Young adults should understand the importance that their voice holds.

Various key issues you will find on the ballot are those concerning students and workers between the ages of 18 to 29. As our nation has recently been more divided than ever, this reinforces that every vote counts.  We desperately need everyone we can get to help balance the black and white trend. It is important that young people get connected with politics earlier than later. Your opinions begin forming, growing, and changing as you learn. Hence, starting your political endeavor as soon as possible helps you to start defining your opinions and deepening your political knowledge.

Fossil Ridge senior, Marshall Forbes, recalls the reason he registered to vote when he recently turned eighteen, “I wanted to have a say in our future as a country”. Forbes reinforces young potential voters stating, “Young people should register to vote because if we want to have an impact we need to have our voices heard and vote for who we see best fit”.