We are quickly approaching the end of election season. Excuses made up to defend why someone may choose not to vote are coming in faster than I would expect from our generation.

“My vote won’t make a difference.”

“I don’t have time to go in on Nov. 8.”

“I don’t care who the president is.”

“I was a Bernie supporter.”

“They should both be in jail.”

“I don’t understand their views on certain issues.”

And the most popular excuse of all, “I don’t want either of them in office, so I refuse to contribute to their election.”

Well, it’s your lucky day because I have retaliations for all of these excuses.

Yes, I understand you feel like your one measly vote won’t make a difference in the vast margin that is the North Dakota voting result. You may think to yourself, if my vote isn’t going to make a difference, then what’s the point in wasting my time?  The whole point in voting is to voice your opinion and potentially make a difference. The more votes our nation has, the more our government’s democracy shows through in the final election.

All arguments pertaining to “not caring who the president is” or being a former supporter of Bernie Sanders are just garbage. You do care. This is the country you live in. There is no “I don’t care.”

The president of this nation reflects directly onto its citizens. Do you really not care how our beautiful country looks to others? You don’t care that this is something that could quite literally start a war if our country is handed to the wrong candidate at the end of the race? Well you should care. You should go vote about it.

Yes, the presidential candidates do have some major flaws. We will never have the perfect candidate and it is very hard to let go of someone as precious as President Barack Obama. But we do have to move on and continue to grow as a country. You may not want to vote for either of the two main parties. In fact, you may not want any of the potential candidates to be voted into office. But a vote is a vote. Vote for the measures, vote for a future leader of this country and pray to god this nation doesn’t go to s—. Voting is your voice that generations of Americans fought for the right to have.

A vote is a vote and it does make a difference.

When discussing why students tend to succumb to the fears of their votes not making a difference, or their opinion not being accepted, many students were able to speak out about why they are choosing to fight against this norm and choose this year to vote. One of the students I was speaking with said something that has stuck with me:

“Voting is important. It gives us some tiny, sort of control over what happens to this beautiful nation. There is more to the election than who has the largest criminal record, or who can beat the other in a petty debate over topics that are irrelevant by the end of the discussion. Voting is democracy and that is what we are here for,” Maicee Hirsch said.

Again I say, your vote makes a difference. Just because you might hear that it won’t change the state’s outcome or voting is a waste of time, it does affect the election. Creating a smaller margin will change the abilities and power that our future president has and creates a more stable democracy. Voting does make a difference, and it will only take five minutes of your time.