One of the reasons, I have decided to step up and run for City Council, is to raise awareness for the younger generation to get out there and vote.

Young people need to vote, we can not afford for them not too!

There are many issues that affects everyday, like public education, college funding, jobs, housing, and public assistance. Our future rests in the next generation. The change starts locally. Every vote counts.

It’s important for young eligible voters know what’s going on around them in their community. They should learn about arising issues, learn about and choose their choice of leaders, to help change and make a difference by their “one” vote.

No one should decide their future, but them.

Alaska’s young voters ages 18-29, voted half as much, compared to their fellow older voters did, according to a poll taken in the year 2012. Political interests among young people are decreasing every year.

The only way democracy works is if citizens, young and old, are active participants. A government by the people, for the people just can’t work without the people. This is a simple fact.

Growing up in my teens, we would touch lightly on politics in school, and as it was talked about outside of school, I was told that there was no point in voting, because my vote doesn’t matter. That is what I came to believe, and unfortunately it wasn’t until my latter years, that I learned, is that EVERY vote counts!

Educating ourselves about the issues locally, and nationally, when we vote, we have the opportunity to combine our votes with other voters who share the same views and ideas, becomes a voice and the more like-voters there are, the louder that voice grows.

Thankfully, our generation, is raised on technology and have the opportunity too use it for their benefit. Social media, internet, smart phones, along with public media are great tools to spread the word, to get informed about what is happening around them.

Should politics become an increased part of the education system in high-school?

So what’s stopping us to vote?

Some feel that voting doesn’t affect them. We need to get more informed, more educated, get more involved, and speak up.

Sometimes life gets too busy, or maybe it’s not a priority on our list, or sometimes it’s just more of an inconvenience, than anything else.

Would more people vote, if they used a mail in ballot? What if there was an opportunity to vote using a web-based app for an absentee ballot?

Well, you’re in luck. There is one, that is available, and is continually being worked on. Created by an Alaskan college student. The app: http://vote-ak.us/ Takes your voter information and inputs it into a ballot request form. It’s pretty convenient.

So what can each of us do? You would be surprised, by what one vote can do if you’re willing to get involved. One person, each and every one of us, can make all the difference by being in the right place at the right time and saying the right thing.