On March 15th, 2024, the eligible 18-year-old students at Pembroke Pines Charter High School voted for the very first time in the Pembroke Pines mayoral election. Voting is a staple of democracy in the United States and has been a symbol of freedom for centuries, and was originally intended by the founding fathers in Article 1 of the United States Constitution, stating that both the Senate and the House of Representatives would be elected by popular vote. Since then, voting has been coined a controversial issue and, historically, it was a way for officials to oppress the minority. Yet, in the present day, voting has become a right of passage and a welcome entrance into adulthood.
As senior Amaya Mateo puts it: “It’s my voice in shaping the future, I want to see and be a part of it.” Mateo was one of the some 80 students to participate in voting for the first time on Friday and feels passionately about participating in the government: “As a woman, I’ve come to appreciate politics more since turning 18, realizing that my participation can influence policies that directly impact my rights and those of others.” Since her 18th birthday, Mateo explained how she has challenged herself to become more aware in current affairs and has “developed a greater understanding of the complexities of governance and the importance of staying informed through diverse news sources.”
But, while Mateo feels strongly about voting, many others feel disheartened by past elections, current debates, and are overall unmotivated to participate in the election process. While in the 2022 midterm election, youth voters accounted for about 37% of all voters in some states (CIRCLE), the number of youth voters in the 2024 election is predicted to decrease (The Washington Post). In a race against time, some artists like Taylor Swift are using their large platforms to encourage the younger generations to register to vote and voice their own opinions on candidates in an attempt to increase voter turnout (Pitchfork). Yet, it ultimately comes down to the young voters themselves to make the decision. Senior Juliette Montes explained the importance of keeping up to date on recent news and explained that getting to know the candidates is an important, if not essential element in the process. Montes elaborated on how she prepared for the election on Friday, saying “I researched each candidate and thoroughly examined what their beliefs are and what they advocate for.”
The election on Friday was just the first step of many in a marathon of the future of voting. With the recent results of the election, senior Abby Santos expressed her opinions saying “Even though the results may not have been what I wanted, it still always felt super important to me and there was never a doubt that my vote did not matter.”
