On Aug. 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, giving voting rights to all Americans. Figures such as Martin Luther King and many other activists fought for these rights. Today, all Americans have a chance to cast their vote and exercise their rights as Americans living in a democracy.

Sonya Letson, President of the League of Women Voters spoke on the importance of voting.

Often people in the US do not want to vote because they think their vote doesn’t count. Why is it important to vote even if the person you elect doesn’t win?

“I’m going to think about the best answer to that for just one second,” Letson said. “Most of us have played sports at some point. And we know that sometimes our team wins. And sometimes our team does not win. But participating in the sport has its own value. And it’s really important that we do it, and that we work to try to win. I’m not always going to be happy with who’s elected. And sometimes I’m going to be really happy with who’s elected. But the importance of participating is that if everyone participates, we have a better chance of having an outcome that truly reflects the will of the majority of the voters.”

Do you have any final thoughts as president of the League of Women Voters?

“In the midterms in 2018, only one-third of people 29 and younger turned out, two-thirds of people 60 and older turned out,” Letson said. “I want every age group, every position group to have an equal voice because that’s how we get the best representation of what the majority of people want.”

If you don’t want to vote because you don’t feel well-informed, the League of Women voters has a voter’s guide. This is available for every election. Your voice matters and voting will make sure that you are heard. Early voting is currently open for the current midterm election. You can also vote on Election Day on Nov. 8.