OUR VIEW: Vote for your own satisfaction

It is over. The campaigns for encouraging voter turnout, voter registration drives and the bashing campaign ads for major political candidates are inconsequential. Election Tuesday approaches and the destiny of the next president of the United States will be announced, along with state and local representatives.

This is your last chance to take a stand on issues that are important and impact the next four years – take this opportunity to vote, if not for your own self-satisfaction in knowing the opportunity of individually standing for a cause was seized.

For all of us who have never voted, this will be an election that will be forever remembered. Let’s not perpetuate the stereotype of our generation being “slackers” or apathetic about politics. All the reasons in the world do not amount to any reason to not vote after spending at least five minutes registering – after all, we have had to bear the brunt of annoying bumper stickers and lawn signs for months on end, let’s take this opportunity to voice our real opinions about the issues and candidates.

Many believe their vote doesn’t matter in the presidential elections, but they shouldn’t allow that fact from keeping them from voicing an opinion in Utah politics. Voting on amendments and initiatives affect tuition and local laws governing taxes, which, whether we like to face it or not, we have to live with.

Tuesday, the lines might be long, and there may be initial confusion when faced with a ballot you have never used before, but stick with it and realize the true implications of what it means to exercise your voting rights. If anything to be excited about, the elections will be over and you will have made your stand.