Staff Editorial: Make a Voting Plan for 2024

Yesterday was the first Tuesday in November, which means it was Election Day in many states around the country. While there were no issues to vote on or candidates to support in Illinois this year, there will be important ballots to cast a year from now. 

On Nov. 5, 2024, Americans will get to vote for our next president, all 435 members of the House of Representatives and senators in 34 states. In addition, a bevy of local and state level offices will be on the ballot. 

Every time an election comes around, we hear it’s the most important election in the nation’s history. While this can feel trite and overplayed, recent elections have shown us that a mere few thousand votes can have drastic impacts on the direction of our country. 

The political landscape has changed so drastically in recent years, and issues that affect us as young adults have increasingly come to the fore. From LGBTQ+ rights to student loans and gun violence, we owe it to ourselves and our peers to enter the political arena and make our voices heard. 

Having a voice in government is the principle this nation was founded upon. Our government of the people, by the people, for the people is rightfully a central point of pride for our nation. We must do our part, however minimal, to support our democratic institutions.

In the 2020 general election, 66.8% of Americans cast a ballot, according to the Census Bureau. Meanwhile, only 51.4% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 voted — the lowest turnout of any age demographic. 

Increased turnout among young voters has the capacity to sway the outcomes of elections, making us invaluable to campaigns vying to ascend to the highest offices in our government. By becoming a more important voting bloc which politicians could become increasingly reliant on, our voices and what matters to us will become increasingly more valued and prominent. But it will only happen if we vote.

Nov. 5, 2024 can feel far away — but much of it is about to unfold.

Debates for the Republican nomination are ongoing with the first primary, The Iowa Caucus, taking place Jan. 15, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. The Illinois primary is March 19, 2024.

There are currently no debates for the Democratic nomination scheduled, according to Deadline.

No matter where you live, your party or whether you vote in-person or by mail, now is the time to make a plan to vote in the 2024 elections. Registration deadlines and information on how to register to vote can be found on Vote.org.

Featured image by Austin Hojdar / The Phoenix