There is always a great deal of debate about the number of eligible voters who choose not to participate in the political process, a debate alternating between two common explanations that rarely resolve themselves: The two common explanations are that many become disenchanted with the political process and so do not participate, and many don’t care enough about the process to take time out of their own lives to vote.

I agree with both explanations, but still find myself searching for some deeper resolution to the debate.

California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson recently spoke out on the voting issue. “It just ticks me off that they don’t take the time (to vote),” he said, commenting on those younger, college-age voters. He has a legitimate concern but the counterpoint is quite enlightening.

I once spoke to a college-age friend on this subject. She remarked that she didn’t vote because political issues didn’t affect her interests or her life. Now a number of issues popped into my head when she said this. I wanted to fire back: If it wasn’t for the political process she, along with the rest of her sex, wouldn’t even have the opportunity to attend college, get a degree, or even a well paying job. In fact, if it weren’t for the political process, her only option would be to get married and pop out a bunch of kids.

Looking back on it, I’ve come to understand what she meant.When she said that she didn’t vote because political issues didn’t affect her interests or her life, she meant that politics, all the debate, all the one-liners and catchy zingers Democrats and Republicans throw back and forth, aren’t worth the time it takes to filter through the non-essentials to what is at the heart of all the emotional appeals.

McPherson noted, “You’ll run into people who will say that their vote doesn’t matter. But it does make a difference. We’ve all seen close elections decided by a few votes.”

The problem is that young people are told to vote, that voting is important, but no one explains the significance of the vote. Third year criminal justice major Christina Crabtree explained that voting is important to her because, “even if it is known that California is a blue state, and may be for a long time, when someone votes they are representing a particular group of people connected by either age, race or class.”

I would like to suggest that if state officials like McPherson want more young people to vote then they should make a practical appeal to those young voters. Educators, politicians and those attempting to register people to vote need to explain to the public why their vote matters.

Voting matters because the size of the state educational budget is controlled by the state legislature. Voting matters because the state infrastructure, roads and bridges and highways, is budgeted for by the state legislature. Voting matters because in many parts of the world people have no say in the size, scope and priorities of their own civil institutions. Voting matters because many parts of the world have crumbling or nonexistent civil institutions. Voting matters, now more than ever, because today, unlike forty or fifty or even eighty years ago, anyone, no matter your sex or ethnicity, has a say in the affairs of the state.

Voting matters because the authority of the United States is derived directly from the people.

Kyle Hardwick can be reached at [email protected]