Election day. Election year. Get to the polls. Go vote. Your voice matters.

These are just a few phrases you will hear over the next eight months as Democrats, Republicans, and independents campaign across the country for the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

This year’s presidential candidates and political climate could arguably be considered the most controversial, chaotic and confusing in recent history for voters nationwide. President Joe Biden is seeking reelection as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, while former President Donald Trump so far is the leading candidate for the Republican Party.

Many voters are dissatisfied with their options as an ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 59% of Americans believe both nominees are too old to serve another term. Biden turns 82 in November and Trump turns 78 in June. There are concerns on whether the candidates would be considered a liability to the country if president. Many young voters, including myself, are seeking younger candidates who have new ideas and a diverse background.

For numerous reasons, this year’s candidates have left thousands of potential voters undecided. Uncertainty and confusion encircle Trump, whose eligibility to be on several states’ ballots will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. He is dealing with multiple criminal trials, several relating to his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building.

The political environment of contemporary times can be off-putting and concerning at times for many voters. Polarization has affected both parties and has overshadowed key problems the country faces. For many public officials, it seems like politics has become a game about who can become the most powerful, and they have turned away from representing the masses. 

However, do not let that sway you from showing up to the polls on election day. Democracy and popular sovereignty are fundamental principles of the United States.

A democracy is a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant role in government, usually by selecting vital public officials. Popular sovereignty is the idea that public officials are sustained by the people’s consent.

According to 270toWin, Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City’s surrounding areas, have secured themselves at safe Republican states, with Missouri having voted red since 2000 and Kansas since 1976. However, there are many states that could be won by either presidential candidate, making them what are known as swing states or battleground states. These are of immense importance in terms of campaigning as they are crucial in determining which presidential candidate will reach 270 electoral college votes necessary to become the next president, occupying the Oval Office for the next four years. 

Alongside the national presidential election, voters in every state will elect their congressional representatives, state legislators, and local public officials. 

Our country has its struggles, but it is important to recognize how lucky we are to live in a country that values the voice of the people. These values and principles are a gift that many other countries do not have. 

Voting is a cornerstone of our democracy and a central right and responsibility of American citizenship. The fight, struggle and pain endured by civil rights leaders for the right to vote to become universal for all should not be taken for granted. For decades, the right to vote was restricted to white males; many people were denied this key part of citizenship.

Your vote can quite literally change the world. You can elect congressional representatives who hold offices on Capitol Hill in powerful rooms, debating, advocating and voting on bills that affect your daily lives. The president selects Cabinet members who run the departments of the federal government and nominates lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. The president also plays a major role in setting international policy.

The people we elect can change our healthcare system, welfare system, public schools, infrastructure, economic policies and life-altering programs for many.

Educate yourself, find your local polling place and go to the polls. It matters.