America is a nation in crisis. We are the generation that will inherit climate change, staggering debt and a fractured democracy. Just 15 percent of young people believe the country is headed in the right direction according to a Harvard study. And yet, despite this disillusionment, young Americans remain remarkably uninvolved in politics.

When it comes to voting — the most basic tool for change — we are failing ourselves. Our future depends on changing that. If we want a nation that reflects our values and priorities, we must claim it at the ballot box.

Just 41 percent of 18 and 19-year-olds voted in the last presidential election according to the Tufts University Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. That statistic should alarm us all. It means that one of the most diverse and forward-looking generations in history is allowing its voice to go unheard.

At a moment when every major issue will go on to shape our future, silence is not an option. The current average age in Congress is 60. Are we really going to surrender our future to a generation who will not live to see the consequences?

Your vote counts. Too often, Americans dismiss voting as insignificant. But to claim that your vote “doesn’t matter” — which 57 percent of college students do, according to Inside Higher Ed — is nothing more than a cop-out. Silence is complicity. In a democracy, each ballot cast is a voice, and every voice shapes the outcome.

History has proven it. The American Progress Foundation found that from 1976 to 2022, more than 410 U.S. House elections were decided by less than 3 percent of all votes cast. In the year 2016 alone, more than 340 state office elections were decided by fewer than 500 votes; of those, more than 85 were determined by fewer than 100 votes.

If there is an issue that you care deeply about, which I guarantee there is, you could be the one to tip the scales.

In a democracy, every ballot cast is a declaration of values and priorities. We have a duty to care about our future, and we have a duty to shape it. Three in four young people feel they believe they have the power to change the country, yet just two in five feel qualified to participate in politics. According to Tufts University, only one in four end up casting a ballot. The truth is, you don’t need to be an “expert” to vote. You just need to believe your voice matters.

We also need to remember that democracy doesn’t begin and end with the presidency. Local and state elections most often directly affect us. School funding, transportation and community safety are essential parts of our daily lives. Yet the National Civic League found that only 15 to 27 percent of eligible voters participate in local elections. By staying home, we surrender our right to decide the policies that shape our schools, streets and neighborhoods.

And for those not yet eligible to vote, there are countless ways to get involved. March in protests to support a cause you believe in. Volunteer on campaigns to elect an official you support. Every act of engagement strengthens our democracy.

Our country needs us. Our generation has the energy, passion and perspective to build a stronger democracy, but only if we choose to participate. At every level of government, youth votes matter. So when your chance comes, take it. Register, show up, make your voice heard. America cannot afford for us to sit this one out.