Out of the 162 million registered voters in the United States only 8 million are high schoolers according to an NBC News article. That is 8 million votes that can greatly impact the results of any election, whether county, state, or national. 

Within this group of voters it is not uncommon to hear “my vote doesn’t matter.” In reality every vote has an impact at every single level of our country’s electoral system. 

Many student voters feel as though their vote doesn’t have an impact that is worth their while. The electoral college system has been efficient in the United States elections for decades. However, it leaves many voters feeling unseen and misunderstood. 

 “I don’t think that my vote will have too much of an impact just because I know how many people are voting and Wyoming doesn’t have much influence due to the electoral college,” said senior Dylan Miner. 

Even if a young voter feels their vote doesn’t have much influence it is important to still use whatever platform is available to promotote ones beliefs. The truth is, regardless of the electoral college and national voting, individual votes have a large impact at the country and state level. 

Local elections are often overshadowed by national elections due to the high coverage and often controversial candidates. Local elections are often forgotten by young voters especially, because of their lack of knowledge about their local issues. So, are local elections as important as national elections?

“Absolutely, they are, if not more,” said Kelly Walsh librarian Lacey Wilson. “Local elections matter as much if not more than national elections.”

Local elections are important because it is a great way for change to be brought about within our community. Many young voters see issues within our community but do not have a channel to bring about that change. 

Voting is an outstanding way for people to express their beliefs and utilize their rights within the United States. It is also important to note that no issue should be overlooked.

“I think there is an argument for any issue that you are passionate about” Wilson said. 

Voters, no matter what age, have a passion that they care deeply about and utilizing their voting rights is one of the best ways to bring change to the community in multiple ways. People should take pride in their right to vote because it is simply one of the best ways to create a better community, and country. 

The 2024 election will take place on November 5th, extra information about the election process in Natrona Country can be found on their website.