November 3 is right around the corner, and we all know what is to come on this day: the Presidential Election of 2020. All year long, you've probably seen all the social media platforms annoying you with all different types of messages: "Register to vote here!" "Are you registered to vote?" "Check your voting location here" They advertised it so much, even if you were already registered to vote, you got paranoid. You clicked the link to check your voter status. Soon after, you get aggravated because even after you checked, it's STILL popping up and enticing you to click it. As annoying as it may seem, this type of political advertising holds importance for this election year. 

As crazy as this sounds, younger and younger (and sometimes older) Americans are not voting. They believe their votes hold no actual value to the country. However, this is, in fact, FALSE. Not only does your vote matter and is CRUCIAL for an election, but this will help to make sure that America earns the leader of the country that it deserves. If you do not vote, you will be yelling at the tv screen and upset because your pick didn't get elected… but you didn't vote, so why should you care? Do you want that in the back of your head, and all your friends/family/colleagues telling you, "it doesn't matter, you didn't vote anyway?" Doesn't that make you feel guilty and ties knots in your stomach? Yeah, I wouldn't like that either. So here, let me clear the air on the facts and opinions on voting in America:

1. FALSE: "Voting doesn't matter.” You've probably heard people around you (maybe even in your social circle) say, "well, our votes don't matter, anyway, because the Electoral College just disregards them and picks on their own." Yeah, that's not necessarily true. Could there be one out of the 538 electors that is a bad apple and will disregard votes? Maybe. The Electoral College is there to count OUR votes to ensure that it is estimated to prevent corruption and ensure that our options go towards who we want as our leader. Just because the Electoral College has the "final vote," it doesn't mean they don't regard our votes. They are our tally markers to get an exact count from each state and produce the scores for each Presidential Candidate. So next time a colleague tells you this, either correct them or just ignore them and go vote anyway. 

2. TRUE: “Voting is a responsibility.” Even though it is not in the US Constitution that Americans HAVE to vote every election, it is a responsibility of the American people. By voting, you are participating in the democratic process: you are voting for leaders to represent your ideas, interests, and actions that you hope to be created/fixed in America; for example, if you are Pro-Choice, the vote you would submit would go towards a candidate who not only is Pro-Choice as well but would implement laws that would protect those views and create safety within that ideology as well. As stated before, you have the right NOT to vote, but if you want to see a change in America, it is your responsibility to go out and vote. See you at the polls!

3. FALSE: “The electoral college is all Rep./Dem." Actually, they are a right mix of both; like all Americans in the US, we all have a right to choose what political party we want to be a part of and belong to, so the electoral college members can do precisely. Does this affect the ballots sent in and their opinions? NO (unless they want to be fired). Because a member of the Electoral College is Republican and receives your Democratic ballot doesn't mean they will giggle and rip up your vote. This is a corruption of American policies, and that person would be immediately removed. Electoral College members remain neutral with American voices and input their own opinions into their votes. Kick paranoia in the rear-end, and stop believing your silly colleagues. 

4. TRUE: "Voting = your voice.” WHEN YOU VOTE, YOU MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. Why did I do all caps for that statement? Because it's TRUE. When you vote, you're not only choosing the leader you want, but you are also expressing your feelings and emotions about that leader. It's as if you are getting asked by a stranger who you want to be elected and why. This is a way to express your feelings about America and what you want to do. So use that voice! EXPRESS YOURSELF! GO VOTE!

Now that we got the facts straight, let's go back to those annoying pop-ups on social media and even TV/emails about voting. Why are these types of advertising even going out? To aggravate you in a wrong way? Or… is it the right way? Whenever you saw these advertisements and commercials, did it make you angry and get off social media/turn the tv off… or did it make you interact? Here's why many forms of social media, television, and email platforms are "bugging" you about voting:

1. Engaging the public: 95% of young Americans engage through different social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. To reach the younger generation of voters, particularly those who are freshly 18, different companies/brands create these advertisements with hyperlinks to catch the attention of young Americans who either need to register to vote and don't know how think that voting isn't necessary. It also informs them of where their voting site will be and how they can vote through mail or in-person voting booths. 

2. Fact Checks: Of course, the media (no matter what political party) not only tells us the truth but also can lie and manipulate what we see to "keep the peace" on subjects the American people "cannot handle"; this is seen through social media as well, and of course its always slightly worse than TV/radio due to people being creative in photoshop and spreading falsified information. Almost 47% of political information spread on social media is false information, fake news, and manipulated images/videos created to trick viewers into believing the report. To provide factual information, many social media platforms (Facebook has a "fact check" feature, for example) will have detailed posts and articles to give accurate details of a particular event/body of text and clear up the false claims that were spread around.

3. Visual content: It is annoying to see the "check your registration status" at the top of your favorite social media app, but didn't it work? This is done on purpose. The marketers WANT you to see this visual pop-up not necessarily to aggravate you but to gain your attention. Think about it. When you view a poster on the community billboard about registering to vote at your favorite local coffee shop, most likely, what do you do every single time? Ignore it, of course. Now take that same poster and turn it into a constant 24/7 pop-up at the top of your IG home page. What do you do? Either A. you X out of it or B. you click it just to "double" check on your registration status and even where your voting location will be. This advertising type is highly significant to voters' attention, particularly millennials and Gen Zers vs. a piece of paper on the wall. 

November 3, 2020, is right around the corner; early voting ends on October 27. Many Americans are getting their voices heard and voting this year. If you aren't planning on voting, as I said before, that's your choice as an American. But, as I also said before, why wouldn't you? Don't you want your values, ideas, and thoughts of what America needs to do to be better heard? Don't you want America to live by the words "Land of the free and the home of the brave" to be relevant again? Aren't you tired of being all talk, and no action, just like you claim politicians to be? Do me, yourself, and America a favor: go out, vote, and make a difference, not only for you but your future generations as well.