SAN JOSE, CALIF.⸺ The presidential election is this year. As seniors are turning 18 years old all over the country, voting is important, and here’s how to do so.

Regardless of your political spectrum, all citizens have a say in which president should represent the people. To some, voting doesn’t make a difference and won’t matter because the final decision is up to the Electoral College. While true, most states allow the popular vote to dictate who the electors are in the Electoral College. 

According to National Geographic, individual votes don’t affect the system much, but accumulative votes can make the difference in a close election. Some of those cases include  George W. Bush versus Al Gore and Donald J. Trump versus Hillary Clinton. Bush won by just 537 votes and Trump obtained enough votes to secure an electoral vote.

Minority groups have fought tooth and nail to have the right to vote. The early to late 1800s only allowed white men with property to vote—the 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870, which allowed people of color to vote. The 19th Amendment followed suit on August 18, 1920, allowing women to vote.

Even with the 15th Amendment, the states established certain restrictions to prevent black people from voting. Such restrictions included poll taxes and literacy tests. The civil rights movement paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to be established, preventing these restrictions from taking place.

How can you vote today? If you’re 18, registering and putting in a ballot is simple enough. First-time voters must verify their identity to get their ballot in. Afterwards, you can either submit the ballot through mail or at an official polling place. More info can be found at sos.ca.gov or usa.gov.

What about teenagers who aren’t 18 yet? You can apply to pre-register at 16 and 17 years old at RegisterToVote.ca.gov, where you’ll automatically be registered when you turn 18. While you’re waiting, researching candidates and volunteering at polling stations are ways to contribute to this country’s democracy. 

Although the presidential election is important to our democracy, electing local officials is also an important right you can partake in. Local elections are arguably more important than the presidential election considering not all states have the same laws. Local and state governments aren’t different compared to our federal government, which includes the executive, legislative and judicial branches. 

Unlike the federal government, local governments allow for better engagement and faster impact on the community. Board meetings can be attended by citizens to further engage with a candidate and gain insight into their goals and values. With local governments, it has the most impact on the education system with the school board. 

The school board is responsible for what schools teach and their respective budget. Depending on who you ask, they may believe that schools aren’t doing enough for future generations. Participating in local elections can help voice your opinions on the matter. 

At local elections, problems like fights and unsanitary restrooms can be addressed, these two examples are major issues at Silver Creek High School. For East Side Union High School District, public comments can be made at Zoom meetings or an online form at esuhsd.org’s board meeting section. 

When talking with a Silver Creek Senior, Anh Vo, he said, “Yes, I plan on voting and I believe it’s important to maintain democracy in our country. I don’t contribute to local elections but that’s just me.”