High schoolers often dream of the day when they hit the big one-eight, breathlessly anticipating their adulthood. Alongside exciting new opportunities like being legally able to gamble their savings away, this transformative point in their lives is also marked by a new feeling of independence.

It aligns with many checkpoints in their life’s journey, such as officially getting a driver’s license, no longer needing parental consent for many things, and, of course, gaining the fundamentally American right to vote.

Voting is a hallmark of our democracy, representing the voices of the people across our nation. And as this year’s elections loom closer and closer, many MN students are preparing to invoke this essential right.

“I decided to vote [during this election cycle] so that my values and beliefs can be represented by my country’s government,” senior Lucy Cho said.

Many of these first-time voters, including Cho, felt the need to cast their vote due to the current polarized state of politics in our nation, which made them believe that it was necessary to make their voices heard.

“People have the tendency to be biased to their peers in their own political party, and listen to news sources that are biased towards their beliefs,” Cho said. “The current state of our country made me more excited to vote and to encourage other first-time voters to vote. It’s important to show up to the booths as critical issues are on the ballot this year.”

Government teacher Douglas Drummond further emphasized the importance of young voters, describing how voters ages 18-34 have the potential to hold essential power as a voting bloc in the upcoming election.

“Gen Z youth alone make up over 40 million voters, or about one-fifth of the American electorate. They have led major movements for action on issues like gun violence, climate, and racial justice,” Drummond said. “[Young adults] have voted at historic rates compared to youth in previous decades, and their choices on the ballot have influenced key elections, including the upcoming one.”

As first-time voters, the process of deciding who to vote for can be difficult. However, as Drummond suggests, digitalization and the plethora of resources available on social media have made educating themselves extremely accessible for young adults.

Senior Sanvi Gudaru has taken this approach to help her come to her decision on who to cast her vote for. Through extensive research on the candidates and their policies, including on social media, she has been able to make a choice she feels comfortable supporting.

“Watching the debates to consider how [the candidates] align with the issues that matter most to me, I was able to come closer to a consensus on my candidate choice. I also have been able to research through Instagram and through news articles, which has also been helpful in deciding who to vote for,” Gudaru said.

However, while these students are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to cast their votes, they are also aware that they cannot change the course of the upcoming election alone.

“I think everyone has the responsibility to vote because it’s one of the most direct ways to influence the future. “It’s not just a personal decision because these policies affect everyone,” Gudaru said. “If someone is choosing not to vote, I’d tell them to reconsider it because voting is one of the most impactful ways to create change in our country.”

Specifically, as Drummond describes, young people should be the most active group in America’s electorate, something that the school system should emphasize through curriculum focuses.

“Just as young people must be taught to drive, learn the rules of the road, and practice before they get behind the wheel, we need to help prepare youth to vote long before their first Election Day. High school is an indispensable time and place to reach and teach a vast majority of young people, and an ideal setting to encourage and facilitate voter registration,” Drummond said.

Looking ahead to the upcoming election, these young voters will undergo a fundamental American process for the first time. Ultimately, for them, the importance of voting comes down to one thing: representation.

“It is necessary for our government to hear our voices and opinions as young people. I’m most looking forward to having the amazing opportunity to have a voice in my community and my representatives by voting for the candidates that I believe support my values,” Cho said.

No matter what happens on November 5th, these voters will be satisfied knowing that they did everything in their power to make their voices count.