With the 2016 presidential election coming up, York students are bursting with excitement at the chance to make a difference in America. Because most seniors and some juniors will be 18 at the time of the election, they were given the opportunity to vote in the Illinois primary on March 15.

“Voting made me feel good! I really enjoyed the experience, and it was a great opportunity that allowed me to have a say in politics,” said Junior Sam Jordan-Wood.

To say the least, the ability to vote definitely made an impact on some students.

“To get out and vote for the first time was a weird feeling, mostly because I didn’t feel overly zealous about the lineup of candidates there were this election, but in all seriousness it was kind of a weird thing,” said Austin Waterwall, junior. “In theory, it seems like a great process, representing democracy and our American values, but at the same time, being a first-time voter, I couldn’t help but think that maybe my vote wouldn’t be so significant in the grand scheme of things.”

Although many students did vote, others did not because of dislike towards candidates or a feeling of insignificance.

“It was disgusting to see how few people did their American duty to vote,” Evan Haug, junior.

In the United States, 39%-42% of eligible youth have voted so far in the primary elections. Although this election has shown an increase in the young voter turnout, the more voters, the more impact they will have on legislation.

“What I learned from the process,” Waterwall stated, “was that no matter how insignificant you may think your vote to be, it is more about the demographic you represent and less about your own single ballot. For the most part, the people who get out there and vote are not young, middle class, suburban teenagers. For that reason, I think it makes it even more important for us to show up to the polls and represent a system of values and morals that may not otherwise be exercised by older generations. All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely be showing up again come November.”

York-hi encourages students eligible to vote to take advantage of this right.