by Dolores Yorkin As a 17 year old feminist who cannot vote it often feels like I am powerless in our system of democracy. Civic engagement is the cornerstone of the American identity. It is the responsibility of each citizen to vote in order to uphold the basis of our society. But how do you stay engaged if you cannot vote? That was a question I asked myself last winter when approaching the 2024 primary election.  I have always recognized the importance of voting. Too many times I have heard  “My vote doesn’t matter anyways, so why vote?” The reality is that your vote does count, you are deciding the future for yourself, and your community. No matter if it is a popular election or electoral election, your vote has a tangible effect on the society you live in. Whether your vote is on a proposition or whom to put in power, it will impact you and thousands of others.  Coming up on such a crucial election year, I knew I had to get involved. With no vote, the most obvious form of Civic Engagement was not an option. So I turned towards a different outlet: poll working. Working in the election was something I had wanted to do for a while. Living in a world where people are constantly trying to tear apart the voting process, I wanted to see first hand what it looks like. Signing up took me a total of 15 minutes. I filled out the straightforward application form during my junior year math class. Later I easily completed the online and in person training, and before I knew it the March election had arrived.  It was nerve wracking walking into my polling station the first early morning. I had never set foot in a voting center before, and I had no idea who I would be working with and the task I would be assigned.  But as soon as I had opened the door to the chilly middle school auditorium I was greeted by a lovely woman named Rebecca, and soon the rest of the team. The election working team was diverse, people from all different backgrounds, with different jobs, joined together to participate in the election process. Our lead, Heather, was a nurse and our co-lead, Dan, worked for the county department of mental health. Each worker had a different story to tell and reason to be there.  Despite the ability to mail in ballots, many people opted to vote in person. Like the election workers, the voters came from all walks of life. Although they held differing political views, hundreds of people came to participate in their civic duty.  Because that’s what voting is, it’s the collaboration of a society and the unity that comes with it in order to reach a greater good. The electorate is not one group of people, it is a wide range of beliefs and histories, and a large spectrum of voices who all contribute to the laws and people who govern our lives. Despite the broad spread of points of views, each person has the right to vote, a marker of a pure democracy.  Yet it is still the responsibility of the electorate to be educated in civic mindedness. It is important to not simply hand in a ballot, but make educated decisions. More than a couple times voters would come in asking to vote for a person or proposition who’s not on the primary ballot. Voting is not something to take for granted, and informed voting is beyond important.  In America, women and people of color have been systematically excluded from the process in the past and present, and in numerous current day countries, citizens do not in any form have a democratic process. It is special what the United States has built when giving citizens the power over the world they live in, it is a privilege, and something that as a progressive American I understand why we have to take full advantage, and responsibility in order to support society.   Coming up on the 2024 presidential election it is imperative that citizens participate. This election will dictate the future of women’s rights, bodily autonomy, LGBTQ rights, and so many more important issues. So please as someone without a vote in the electoral process, I ask all of you to use yours, or if you’re like me find other ways to engage and be an active member of our democracy.

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