PHOTO: Image of a brown-skinned hand holding an "I Voted" sticker in the day time. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor of Content and Operations Troylon Griffin II. — I was amazed at how fast the process was of placing my ballot choice for president of the United States. Nevertheless, I walked out feeling a true sense of power and fulfillment at this first ballot casting. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor of Content and Operation Troylon Griffin II.

IMO: Reflecting on my first time voting in a presidential election

By Troylon Griffin II, Editor-in-Chief Last updated Jun 15, 2021 276 0

Earlier this year I wrote an opinion piece about how everything is political. It is quite a coincidence this year is the first time I have ever voted in a presidential election.

The action of voting has been intrinsically linked to my higher education experience for a variety of reasons.

I started college in Fall 2017. I had friends in high school who were old enough to vote in the 2016 election, but I was not one of them though. I narrowly missed the cutoff in the 2016 election because I did not turn 18 until just a few weeks after Election Day (a con of being a Sagittarius I suppose). It’s quite a crazy thing knowing you turn 18 during the same month as Election Day but are unable to vote.

I finally voted for the first time in my life my first year of college (what a coincidence that I am now voting for the first time in a presidential election my last year of my undergraduate career).

As an editor of my college newspaper, I am part of a major circle of people who are big advocates of voting. In general, it is quite hard to avoid hearing about the importance of voting while in college.

Now, having finally cast a ballot in determining who becomes the next president of the United States, it feels like I have reached the climax in the story of my voting journey through college.

It is quite a feeling to do an action that helps determine the destiny of your country. As part of a constitutional republic (that has often thought of itself as a democracy), you really get the feeling that you are truly contributing to the future of the country.

For me, voting in the presidential election feels like a rite of passage in a journey, not just towards adulthood, but towards one’s role as an American and citizen of this country.

As Aristotle said, man is a political animal, and our past, present and future as a species is based on the actions of history’s nations and leaders who rule them. While one cannot speak for all nations throughout human history, one thing for sure is that America’s history and destiny has been shaped by leaders who came to power as a result of the votes of the people.

As Americans, we are part of a nearly 300 year old experiment towards democracy and liberty. With all this considered, there is definitely a powerful feeling when someone realizes the significance of casting a ballot.

We all play our part and regardless of which candidate wins, casting out ballot represents one of the main roles we play in deciding the future of our nation.

As I get through the last year of my undergraduate, I can definitely say voting for the first time in a presidential election is a necessary step in my journey as an adult and American citizen.