On April 7th, 2020, thousands of Wisconsinites will flock to the polls in order to cast their ballot in the primary elections. Among those voting, there will be millions of people from all different backgrounds and demographics.

Of all the people who will show up to vote this April, one group of people will have a particularly important influence: the youth voters.

The “youth vote” is an umbrella term that describes any voter between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. I am writing this letter as part of an organization called NextGen America, where we encourage the youth voters in eleven different battleground states throughout the country to exercise their right as an American citizen to vote.

We are a non-partisan organization dedicated to motivating young people all over the country. The American youth is one of the most underrepresented populations of voters in this country, and organizations such as NextGen intend to change that by having our voices heard. 

In the 2020 election, the youth vote will be more important than ever in deciding the ultimate fate of this nation. In 2016, Donald Trump won the election by such a slim margin that Hillary Clinton almost took the White House.

This year Wisconsin will play a critical role, if not the deciding role, in determining the future of the presidency.

Wisconsin’s influence in the country’s fate as a whole is why youth voters in the state will become primary targets for political movement and advertisements.

Being so underrepresented, youth voters have the most room to grow, thus having the biggest potential for impact. Similar to organizations such as NextGen, individual campaigns know just how important the youth vote will be in this election.

As young voters, we have the potential to change the country’s future. In the 2018 midterm elections, when youth turned out to vote, progressive candidates won the elections, demonstrating just how important it is that young people get active in both national and local elections. 

The voting process can be scary and intimidating, which is a factor as to why youth voter turnout rates have been so low in the past. However, with the work being done by NextGen and other similar organizations, we plan to make the voting process as streamlined and simple as possible, so that anyone who has the desire to vote can show up feeling confident on election day.

Living in the United States, voting is a basic right and anyone, regardless of age, should have the access and opportunity to vote.

As a young person in this nation, we must all take part in both national and local elections. When each of us does our part by casting a ballot, we are making a difference.

We have the potential to impact the future of an entire nation by simply voting on election day. In 2020 it is absolutely vital that youth in the nation head to the polls to cast their votes because it is the only way we will take back the White House. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the beliefs or values of The Racquet Press