As I walk to join the ever growing line of people waiting, I think about what my vote means. What it affects. Voting is the only way to influence the whole population. That single decision, whether I make it in a matter of seconds, or have spent months educating myself in anticipation, who I vote for affects hundreds of millions of people.

From different backgrounds. With different incomes. Different families. Different living conditions. A unified country is not possible. There will always be issues to be discussed. It is one of the pillars of a democracy:  different views. That’s what makes the election so important. This one man or woman will decide how we all will live for the next four years. That now brings up the question: What is the issue in voters?

We as the people don’t vote on problems; we vote on solutions. It is hard to find a perfect candidate who wants to solve and address every issue during their presidency. Candidates address the biggest issues to the public and to their party. They talk about gun rights, and let other problems like roads and infrastructure go. They talk about abortion, and forget about our elderly. They talk about the economy, and don’t talk about the war on drugs.

People don’t do enough which in turn makes me dumbfounded when people who are not active in political discussions or debates vote in elections. The voters need to know what their vote means for other people, the policies they’re standing behind, the leaders they’re choosing, and the ideas they’re opposing. Listening to the news is not enough! Every news channel is on the political structure. I will not get 100% of the facts from news stations. Voters have to do their own research.

My vote will affect 327 million people. Just one vote changes the lives of people across our nation, and potentially the world. So before we vote, we must do our research, find the truth, and vote for what you want.