The local chapter of High School Democrats of America provided an important opportunity last week for Manhattan High students to take part in Voter Registration Day. 

The fourth Tuesday of September is set aside annually for this event. Its goal is to focus on the importance of voting. 

It is the agreement of The Mentor editorial board that this opportunity was something MHS students should have taken advantage of.

Too many people think that their one vote doesn’t matter among all the others. That’s not true at all. Many people seek change in the government, but aren’t willing to be the change. The thing is, what you would have to do is almost too simple, you just have to vote — and if you aren’t registered, do it. 

On top of the uncertainty that people face about voting, they only think about their vote. The thing is, it’s not only for you, it’s for the people who can’t vote too. For instance, 74.2 million citizens in America are under the age of 18 and aren’t eligible to vote, but their voice matters too. As well as the people in America who aren’t official citizens. They cannot vote, even if they are over 18. Their voices should be heard as much as yours. The voices of these people can be represented by your vote.

Democrat or Republican, every vote matters for your party. Many are in-between parties and that’s okay. Many people have families who are equally divided between the two parties, but it is important to have an opinion, separate from others or not, which can be represented as a vote.