Election Day 2026: Young Vote Matters
Today is Election Day. Signs advertising every candidate engulf campus. The main event: Abdul El-Sayed up against Mike Rogers. As you’ve walked to class over the past several weeks, no doubt somebody has attempted to stop you, either to talk, hand you a flyer, or obtain your signature—all centered around getting you to vote. So, why is voting so important? And why do all of these strangers have such a vested interest in your vote?
At the University of Michigan, voting is a topic of utmost importance. Charlie Lentine, my colleague at the Michigan Review, debuted for the paper with powerful observations about Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the Michigan democratic primary, and his future as a political candidate. Several of my peers have discussed with me the importance of voting and their personal plans for election day. Even turning on the tv after a long day won’t save you from the madness, whether it's the media analyzing the Michigan senate race or the hundredth political advertisement. Voting surrounds our lives every two years, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, especially if you’re here.
One student I spoke with noted the stark contrast between his home state of Maryland and the situation here in Michigan. “I think it’s because Michigan is a swing state”, he said. “In Maryland, you already know, they will vote blue. It’s not like that here. You don’t immediately know if Michigan will go Republican or Democrat.” He went on to say that he noticed the tables in The Diag did not typically campaign for specific candidates, and that just outside sat a large sign urging students to “Vote for Progressives”, specifically mentioning El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson.
I found the table he mentioned right outside of Joe’s Pizza, with the exact sign he described. Multiple workers were standing in the surrounding area, walking up to students, handing out flyers, and encouraging them to come up to the table to discuss the upcoming election. I observed the table and its workers for about 15 minutes. They got some engagement from students, but most simply walked past them, oftentimes without acknowledgement. It reminded me of a kind of collegiate door-to-door salesman. Simply from my own observations, it was incredibly difficult to get someone to even speak to you, never-mind the gargantuan task of getting a student to follow you to their table. After watching for a few minutes, I decided to engage with one of the volunteers.
I took a flyer and asked them why they wanted to speak with students and advocate for their peers’ vote. The answer was simple: “I am doing the right thing.” I continued by asking a few questions about the specific slant of the table, as they had a poster campaigning for specifically liberal candidates. This answer mirrored their initial reply: they felt passionately that these candidates are the correct choices, and advocating for them is “a no-brainer”. I thanked them for their time.
Research online will give you numerous reasons for why young voters are so important. The League of Women Voters claims they offer unique perspectives on modern issues. Protect Democracy implores young voters to go to the polls, citing recent close elections as the reason to care about these midterms. Some feel the young vote is of utmost importance, as it captures the ideas of the new generation. These ideas will influence the future of American politics, and for some, figuring out the ideals of a generation as early as possible will lead us to a brighter future.
Clearly, there are a diverse number of reasons why different organizations and student clubs want young voters to turn-out in the masses. Whether it is influenced by one candidate, one party, or just because of the passion one holds for using your American right to vote: young votes seem to be of utmost importance to many Americans.
Voting is one of the strongest and most impactful functions in our society. It is a rare civic freedom guaranteed by our constitution where you can choose the future of our country. Politics influence everything around our society: from law to religion and education to healthcare. Fiery debate over who the correct candidate is and how much mudslinging should be respected when deciding on who to vote for. Despite disagreements, we can all reconnect by acknowledging the true, undisputable impact of voting. No matter where you stand on the political aisle, I believe we can all agree: voting is important. Serving your community is important. Being an active member of society is important. So go vote.
