Voting — Why Your Vote Matters

Decisions about your future—student loans, climate policy, housing costs—are being made for you. They are mostly being made by people twice your age. Why? Because they consistently vote, and in most democracies, young people have the lowest voter turnout of any age group. This isn't a lecture. It's a look at the math of power, and how you can claim your share of it.

The most common reason young people don't vote is the feeling that one vote doesn't matter. It's an understandable feeling, but it's based on a misunderstanding of how change happens.Politicians respond to the people who show up. When voter turnout (the percentage of eligible people who actually vote) is low for one group, their issues get ignored. In many countries, fewer than 40% of eligible voters under 25 participate in national elections. For older groups, that number can be over 70%.It's Collective Action: Your single vote is one drop of water. But millions of drops create a flood that politicians cannot ignore. When millions of young people stay home, it creates a power vacuum.Local Elections Matter More: National elections get all the attention, but local races for mayor, city coun...

Jayden, 18, had registered to vote but planned to skip election day. "It's pointless," he told his friend Valentina. "My one vote won't change anything." Valentina, who was only 16, looked frustrated. "I'd give anything to be able to vote right now," she said. "You have a voice and you're not even going to use it?" Her words stuck with him. He felt a little ashamed and decided to go. That night, he checked the local results. A ballot measure to expand late-night bus service—something that would make his commute home from work much easier—passed by just 200 votes. His vote was one of those 200.