Our generation isn’t showing up to vote in high enough numbers. Here’s why.
Turning 18 is scary. Learning how to file your taxes, signing forms without your parents, going to doctor’s appointments by yourself — the list of things you seem to need to know how to do the second you become an adult is daunting. The voter registration process is no different. In the tumultuous mix of insurance files, debit cards, and endless forms, registering to vote may not seem like something you need to have at the forefront.
This right here is exactly why campaigns that promote civic engagement are crucial: to ensure young Americans are given a time and place to register without confusion or an endless sense of dread. Although it may seem like it is something you can always do at a later date or put off until the next presidential election, it is now more than ever that we need young people to register.
Creating a space that provides tools for you to understand civic engagement in a clear and concise manner is the primary goal of MASSPIRG, a student-led organization here at UMass Amherst that serves all students, no matter where the registration form falls on the priority list in your head. In order to help out with the whole process, we will be running events until Election Day in November to ensure you receive help every step of the way.
Growing up can be nerve-racking, but only through the mastery of our fears can we create a nation that encourages growth beyond adversity.
Amelia Baraona
Amherst