Why You Should Vote in the Midterms (Archive)

Tajikistan is one of the great jewels of Central Asia. It is adorned with majestic mountain ranges which account for 93% of its land mass. The majestic country is inhabited by a population of friendly people whose vibrant and diverse culture is endowed with Persian, Islamic, Turkic and Russian influences. It is truly one of the geographic jewels of the world.

But not all is well in the land of mountains. Politically, it’s a mess. The Tajikistan Republic, though ostensibly democratic, is in reality governed by a strongman president. Even though he arrests his opposition, muzzles the free press, and has launched a personality cult, he wins every single election. Election fraud and a lack of transparency is well documented in the Central Asian state.

This is what it is really like when your vote doesn’t count. This has been the situation in Tajikistan for about twenty years.

Many of us may not realize it, but to live in a representative democracy where your vote is guaranteed is a truly unique thing, a privilege that is not available to billions of people worldwide. To be sure, there are people in our country who even today are deprived of that most fundamental of rights given to citizens of a democracy. And it is undeniable that voting remains relatively impractical and complicated for millions of voters. But nonetheless, I urge those of you who can to vote.

Our system is imperfect, and we are reminded that everyday a new tweet is ejected by our incumbent president. But this will never change unless we vote. Politicians like Donald Trump, and his conservative lackeys thrive in an atmosphere of apathy and indifference. If you chose to abstain from your privilege to vote, you play into the hands of these politicians.

And if you doubt this, I encourage you to take a good look at elected politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who currently hold the reigns of power. You will very quickly notice that many of these politicians have several things in common. They are predominately middle-aged, white, and male. So why are so many politicians older than my dad? Well, because people of that same demographic vote, and they keep a close eye on their representatives. By contrast, our generation does not. Is it any surprise then that so many politicians seem completely ignorant to the interests of young people?

When I read that the early voting turnout of students for Knox county was anemic, I was disappointed to say the least. We truly are at a turning point in the politics of our country, and if you are tired of being ignored by politicians, or listening to hyper partisan dribble, you need to make your voice heard. It is unconscionable that after everything we have witnessed under the Trump administration – Charlottesville, pipe bombs, synagogue attacks, the separation and detainment of migrant children, a president mocking victims of sexual assault, and much more – that anyone could justify their decision not to vote because they had to “fill out a form”, or the line was “too long”.

And please, do not allow yourself to be convinced that the midterms are a foregone conclusion in either direction. When we subscribe ourselves to such views, we lend ourselves to a dangerous lack of urgency. Unfortunately, our country has not been hijacked by some fringe minority of voters who can easily be overruled by the will of a majority. This is an evenly split race, and it is still too close to call.   

If millennial voting participation were to increase, we would dominate as a voting bloc. We as millennials have so much power at our fingertips. Everyday, we write essays, tackle exams and quizzes, get our homework turned in just at the last minute, and still find time to keep everyone updated on our lives through social media. We can also spare some time to be civically engaged. It takes only a brisk walk downtown to vote, but a single vote can shape decades of political precedent.

So please, get out and vote. There is no better time that the midterms on November 6^th. All appearance excepted, we still live in a democratic republic, and your vote counts. We can change our political realities, and we can work to install the politicians that we want to represent us. Our generation is full of compassionate and hard-working people that stand as a testament to our abilities to reshape and challenge the realities of the world we live in.

Vote on November 6^th at the Knox City County Building in downtown Knoxville!