In the past three years, political tensions have been high and have affected everyone in one way or another. Whether you’ve seen it on Twitter or by actually watching the news, the 2020 election is right around the corner. As of today’s date, President Trump and William Weld are the official Republican candidates and there are over 20 Democratic candidates running for office including former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

The 2016 race was very close between President Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but Trump pulled through by winning a couple of larger states. Although Clinton won the popular vote, Trump won the electoral vote thus making him president. It is expected that the 2020 election will be just as close, knowing that Trump has an approval rating of 46% which is higher than his last two years in office. With the House of Representatives controlled by Republicans and the Senate filled with Democrats, there is still a great divide among Congress.

Looking specifically at Massachusetts data according to Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, there are 4,271,835 registered voters in Massachusetts. As of the 2016 election 1,883,846 votes were cast in the presidential election, that’s a 44.10% turnout. Though this number seems very low, in previous elections the numbers are even lower and show even a less than 10% turnout. I think a solution to this problem in Massachusetts would be putting in compulsory voting. To define, compulsory voting is an effect on laws which require eligible citizens to register and vote in elections and may impose penalties on those who fail to do to so. I don’t think the penalty should be an excessive amount of money or be a convicted crime, but something that makes people vote.

Not only is it important to stay updated on American politics, but it’s also important to vote if you can, whether you’re an older sophomore or junior, you can vote in the 2020 election as long as your birthday falls before November 3. The United States of America grants every legal citizen of the age of 18 the right to vote.

Voting shouldn’t be slipped under the carpet, many other countries around the world have strict voting rights and don’t allow as many people to vote. In Saudi Arabia, women aren’t allowed to vote and in Guatemala members of the armed forces cannot vote. The people of these countries fight every day to have the same freedoms the U.S grants and shows how fortunate we are to live in a democratic voting society.

This is a right and privilege given to Americans and I don’t think it’s right to pass that up. People would die to have the freedoms that we have and to live the American dream so that’s why I want to encourage Westborough High School students of voting age to go out and vote on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Source:

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elevoterturnoutstats/voterturnoutstats.htm