“Having the ability to vote is a privilege that I believe people are taking for granted.” (Courtesy of Vox Efx, Creative Commons)

We have the choice between a former president, who is a convicted felon that tried to undermine America’s democratic processes and a vice president that had a 36% approval rating in July and was thrust into the spotlight only 107 days before Election Day. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not thrilled with our options for the person who is supposed to represent and lead America on the world stage. 

Former President Donald Trump encouraged both Jan. 6 rioters and his right hand, Mike Pence, to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power when he lost the 2020 presidential election, calling into question Trump’s willingness to adhere to America’s democratic principles. These concerns are underscored by JD Vance’s ties to Project 2025: a plan to consolidate power in the federal government under a Trump administration by removing those not loyal to him and dissolving the FBI and Department of Justice.

Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, has demonstrated questionable leadership skills and charisma throughout her run as vice president. To that end, the Biden administration’s failure to remedy the record number of border crossings was largely blamed on Harris. Her approach to immigration policy, a major issue for many Americans, has been called outdated by experts — and was made worse by clumsy comments and her failure to actually visit the U.S.-Mexico border.

For these reasons, many Americans have expressed hesitance to vote altogether, feeling like they can’t in good conscience vote for either candidate. Surprisingly, one particular group rallying to boycott both Harris and Trump is a flank of young, leftist, pro-Palestinian Americans who feel that Harris isn’t doing enough to support Gazans whose lives are at risk. However valid their concerns may be, forgoing voting is not the righteous choice many think it is.

The rhetoric I’ve heard from non-voters ever since Harris took over as the Democratic candidate is that they refuse to vote for the “lesser of two evils.” The reality, though, is that either Harris or Trump will win, and if you choose not to vote for whoever you think is less “evil,” you are giving the greater evil the opportunity to take office as the most powerful individual in the country. While non-voters claim the moral high ground, they are in actuality becoming bystanders in an election that will likely be in our childrens’ history textbooks— a position that is nothing to be proud of. 

Some have called for a third party candidate; however, voting third party is about as pointless as refusing to vote at all given that there are currently no other viable candidates a mere 53 days away from Election Day.  

Advocates against the violence against Palestinians in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war claim that, morally, they cannot vote for a candidate that does not outright denounce Israel for the genocide on Palestinians. However, assuming you are entirely pro-Palestinian, electing not to vote will not help the Palestinians in any way; it will achieve nothing but making said non-voters feel good about themselves, which I find selfish and insulting to Palestinians. These advocates argue that their boycott will pressure Harris to take a stronger stance against Israel, but this exercise is futile because Harris must also appease the larger faction of pro-Israeli Americans. On the contrary, making a strong showing at the polls and demonstrating your influence will make leaders much more likely to listen to your voices on the issues that are important to you.

Even still, renouncing a candidate over a single issue — especially one that is happening across the Atlantic Ocean — reflects a gross short-sightedness when there are so many other pressing domestic issues. The lives of women, people who rely on medicare and the middle class, among others, are all at stake in this particular election. 

Underlying all of these reasons for not voting is a disturbing lack of faith in America’s democratic principles. Having the ability to vote is a privilege that I believe people are taking for granted. The alternative would be an authoritarian government in which none of us get a say in how our country functions. The two candidates are far from perfect, but we shouldn’t expect any president to be. To ask for a hero or a god that you agree with on every issue is not only fantastical but dangerous. 

I encourage all readers to do their research and vote for the presidential candidate and other local politicians that they most align with— or at least the one who they dislike the least. If you don’t, others will make the decision for you. I won’t hesitate to show up to the polls on Nov. 5, and I sincerely hope you all do as well. For more information on voter registration in your state, visit vote.gov.