Voting

Although the right to vote has been expanded to include everyone over the age of 17, a large portion of Americans do not vote, for a variety of reasons. Potential voters may be apathetic to the electoral process, or feel as though their vote is ineffective. People may feel that political candidates are boring or do not accurately represent their interests. On the other hand, charismatic candidates can help motivate people not only to vote, but actually participate in their campaigns. Voting is an important aspect of civic life, perhaps the most important, but there are other ways that Americans are able to participate in the political process and impact public policy.