Americans will soon head to the polls to participate in the most fundamental aspect of our democracy. Unfortunately, if history is any indication, the majority of Hoosiers will choose to spend Election Day on the sidelines. For years, Indiana has had one of the worst voter turnout rates in the nation. The May primary saw a meager 13 percent of Indiana’s 4.57 million registered voters cast a ballot.
At a time when our country is facing threats abroad, an unstable economy and a growing social divide, we cannot afford to sit back and be silent. Whatever your political affiliation, it is critical that your voice be heard.
Far too many Americans believe their vote makes no impact on our communities. Yet, examples of democracy in action can be seen across the country. Amid recent protests in Ferguson, Mo., we saw voter registration drives. This is a town that is two-thirds African-American, but saw only 6 percent of eligible Black voters turnout during the last municipal election. The Ferguson community has decided that to change its history of tension and racial discrimination, it has to make its voice heard at the polls. Whether in Ferguson or in Indiana, change starts with one vote.
There are many online resources to help you get registered and stay informed so you can take action at the polls as well: projectvote.org, votesmart.org, and rockthevote.com are just a few sites that can help you learn the issues at stake in this election. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to go out and register to vote. The deadline to register in Indiana is Oct. 6 to vote in the Nov. 4 general election.
Making our voices heard on Election Day is among our most basic rights as Americans. It is the most basic tenet of our democracy and impacts every aspect of our community. Each of us may be just one vote, but when our votes meet with those of other like-minded Hoosiers, we can bring about real change.
Andre Carson is the U.S. Representative for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. He is a Democrat and tweets at @RepAndreCarson.
