It is essential that you vote. We know all the common refrains: “My vote won’t matter,” “I won’t vote for the lesser of two evils,” “I’m so busy,” but voting matters. It’s one of the few demands the United States makes of its citizens, and it’s one of the ways you can directly address something bigger than yourself in an incredibly simple way. Look at it this way: you’re going to have to pay taxes no matter what. You’re part of American society no matter what. Shouldn’t you have a say in what happens in a representative democracy?

While it’s ridiculous that we don’t have automatic voter registration in this country, it is what it is. For starters, check to make sure that you’re registered to vote. You may think that you are, but it never hurts to double check especially as states purge their voter rolls.

If you’re not registered to vote, then get on it! Click here to find out how you can register in your state or the District of Columbia.

If you’ve recently moved, changed your name, or changed your party affiliation, then you’ll need to update your registration. Go here to find out how to take care of that.

Encouraging people to vote is not “partisan.” It does not belong to any party no matter what some pundits may have you believe. Voting is not a privilege. It is a right enshrined in the Constitution, and you should not throw away your rights. America isn’t perfect, but that’s why we all have to keep working towards a more perfect union. People have fought and died for the right to vote. As an American, it is one of the most valuable assets you have.

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention that vote-by-mail will be huge this election due to the pandemic. For more details on voting by mail, click here.  If you choose to vote by mail, be sure to return your ballot as quickly as possible since the Postal Service will likely be overloaded this year due to an uptick in vote-by-mail. If you’re not comfortable voting by mail, see if your state has early voting. If you choose to vote in person, please be safe and wear a mask.