Speech

Why One should vote

The word democracy is derived from the Greek words demos, which
means the people and -kratia which means power. In a democratic
system people have power, and when given that power, one should use it.
My name is Michael Benavidez and today I will be discussing why it is
important to vote.
This upcoming election has been incredibly controversial. With, what
are said to be, the two most disliked candidates in American presidential
campaign history there have been many people who are simply choosing not
to vote. However, this is not uncommon, in the 2012 election between
President Barak Obama and Mitt Romney around 93 million people who were
eligible to vote didnt, thats 42% of all eligible voters. Numbers this large
can have an immense impact on the results of the election. People have the
power.
Abraham Lincoln has a great quote on voting, he stated that elections
belong to the people. Its their decision. If they decide to turn their back on
the people and burn their behinds, then they will have to sit on the blisters.
This basically says that if you choose not to participate in the election you
still have to deal with the outcome.
My grandfather worked many years as a union iron worker in New
Mexico. This labor union had a meeting every six months to vote on pay

raises, health benefits, and other issues handled by the union. At every
meeting, approximately 30 people showed up; there were over 600 people in
that labor union. Often my grandfather said he would hear other workers
complaining about the results of the meeting but did not make the effort to
attend it. How can someone feel so strongly about having something
changed but put forth no effort to make change happen. When you want a
difference in our government, you have the option to influence that. While
you may only have one vote, that is still your voice being pushed to
whatever you favor. Each and every one of us has the opportunity to make a
difference.
One reason for people not to vote is that they claim that none of the
candidates fit their personal beliefs. Of course, it is unlikely that you will have
completely consistent views with the candidates, but there will be one that is
closer to your beliefs than the other. It is important to make your choices in
the right direction. Your representatives will not be tailor fit to your beliefs,
but they will fit some, and if you had the choice to have some of your beliefs
represented in government, compared to none, why wouldnt you vote for
that person? Either way someone is getting elected. Seems like you would
want to do your best to put them in office.
Benjamin Franklin asked, at the closing of the Constitutional
Convention, that what have we got, a republic or a monarchy? he
answered A republic if you can keep it. This was a challenge to the people.
The United States had just broken away from a monarchy and did not want

to go back. Voting was an important aspect of not becoming this. It gave the
people power to decide who would run the show, it would not be from the
same family or based on wealth, just ability to lead (although it seems like
we have strayed from that ideal).
Another good reason to vote is many people fought hard for an
incredibly long time to gain suffrage for many different groups. The United
states may be one of the oldest lasting political systems in the word, but not
everyone always had an opportunity to have their voice be heard. If you
were not a white, landowning, male for a long time you could not vote. In
1870 the 15th amendment was passed which said the right of citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or
by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.".
This sounded great until the southern states found ways around this. They
included a poll tax, grandfather clause and unfair literacy tests to keep
African Americans from voting. It was not until almost a century later in 1965
that the Voting Rights act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson,
that allowed all African Americans in the United States to vote. Women did
not gain the right to vote until the 19th amendment, which states that the
right of citizens to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States
or by any State on account of sex.". This amendment was not passed until
1920, after a long fight that started nearly 80 years before. So, remember
how many people were not given this chance that is available to you.

Remember that voting is an issue many fought for. Remember that you have
a voice.
Voting is not just picking the lesser of two evils, it is making your voice
heard. Voting is having power in your hands and putting it towards what you
believe in. Voting is what makes the United States the republic that it is. A
vote can change history, lead to great leaders, and make this country one
step closer to what you want it to be. So please, make your voice heard and
get to the booth.