November 8th, 1998. Anybody born before that date is eligible to (and should) vote in both the primary and general presidential elections. Voting isn’t just a right guaranteed by the constitution, but it’s also citizens’ responsibility to ensure an effective, representative government.

What many students don’t know is that in Maryland anybody set to turn 18 before the general election is also eligible to vote in the primary election for the party they are registered to, even if you are only 17. This means many juniors and seniors will be able to vote in a government-sponsored election for the first time.

This election is pivotal in deciding the future of our country, and many of the key issues are important for students. Whoever wins this election will have a direct impact on college tuition costs and job opportunities for college graduates.

Students certainly already have strong opinions on the candidates, and there are certainly some polarizing figures in this race. If you do have strong opinions on the candidates then you should put aside an hour or two on April 26th for the primary and on November 8th for the general election.

If you don’t know much about the politics, you could read one of the many simple candidate comparisons.

You can even take a quiz that matches you with a candidate, though you should still consider your own opinions. You’re sure to agree with at least one of the candidates opinions, or at the very least find one you know you want to prevent from winning.

Often times, people say that voting doesn’t matter because your vote barely counts, especially in Maryland, a consistently Democratic state. Our delegates have gone to the Democratic candidate in the last six presidential elections. But, this year is different. Maryland is now a red state run by a republican governor, and every vote in the general election will likely count when it comes to ultimately deciding which candidate our state’s delegates will go to.

Even if the election doesn’t come down to the wire, voting is still important. Our country is the most successful, long-lasting democracy in the world. Our citizens are well-educated and elect officials who, though sometimes selfishly and slowly, ultimately enact the policies that best represent our country as a whole.

If people stopped voting even in the notoriously liberal areas like Bethesda, it would prevent our electoral system from being as representative of the people as possible.