Dear Readers,

Today millions of Americans across the country will make their way to the polls as they vote for the 47th president of the United States as well as many other policies and positions. After an election season fraught with candidate switch-ups, assassination attempts, and polarization, voting may feel unfulfilling and fear-inducing. Despite this, we, The Advocate Editorial Board, implore you to vote.

Voting is a freedom that we often take for granted as Americans. In such a populous country, you may think your one vote seems irrelevant and will not affect the outcome of any given election. However, the American government was founded on the ideal of representative democracy. Back then, it was an ideal that was not fully realized, and over the centuries of our history, the right to vote has been expanded as more groups were granted the ability to vote—Black men, women, Native Americans, and 18-year-olds. This process of enfranchisement will hopefully continue as we improve and expand voting rights and access. The right to vote was a long-fought battle and exercising that right means that you are participating in realizing the ideals that inspire our country.

The American electoral process is undeniably flawed. Many are critical of the reality that the Electoral College makes it so that not all votes are equally weighted, presidential candidates give extra attention to “swing states,” and places like New Mexico sometimes get left out of the national conversation as a result. That is no excuse to avoid voting, however. The people we elect to positions of power could potentially make changes to make the voting process more just. They will also make laws on a local and federal level that will have effects for generations to come.

It is not only the presidency that is up for grabs on the ballot on November 5–congressional positions, bond questions, constitutional amendments, and justices of the state courts are also at stake. Arguably, these are the elections where your vote has the most direct impact because these local and state officials will be the ones who make decisions that affect your life today and the future of our communities.

Many people have raised fears that the voting process is “rigged,” minimizing public trust. This could not be farther from the truth, and these baseless claims are dangerous. In order for democracy to work, we need to trust in the process; this is not blind trust but should be based on the facts and evidence–notably that our elections are free and fair, and if there are legitimate concerns about violations, they are brought to light and remedied.

Journalism is one of the greatest assets to American voters, and our democracy as a whole, but it is also one of the least appreciated. While behemoth media corporations are frequently the ire of voters on both sides, the very existence of a diverse news environment is a privilege to which many people around the world do not have access. This isn’t to say that everything that comes out of the news media is neutral or even accurate, but those varying viewpoints are a product of the diverse voices of our nation. Don’t let misleading titles or lies of omission turn you away from journalism; to be sure, there are thousands of great journalists across the world working to hold our leaders accountable and challenge prevailing ideas with rigorous investigation. Gleaning the objective truth from news requires discernment and critical thinking, but it is far from impossible.

If you can vote in this election, please utilize the resources below to help you make educated choices that represent your beliefs. If you are too young to vote, we still encourage you to review the resources below and stay up to date on election information so you can share your viewpoint and feel well-prepared for future elections. At The Advocate, we urge you to take an active role in our democracy, on Election Day and beyond, not just to fulfill a civic responsibility but also to help create a government striving for the hopes and dreams of each and every American.

Sincerely,
The Advocate Editorial Board

Resources:

VOTE411: A website created by the nonpartisan nonprofit, League of Women Voters. This website lets you enter your zip code to see the candidates on your ballot.
New Mexico Voting and Elections Portal
Vote.gov: The Federal Government’s voting website
Please also refer to various journalism outlets to stay up to date on election activities. We encourage you to read from multiple sources with varying viewpoints to learn about all sides of an issue.
New Mexico Sample Ballot: Use this to register as a voter (or enter your voter registration number) and access a sample ballot that you can take to the poles with you.