18 and Able!

By Kara McCluskey

It’s voting season! And many 18 year olds are now finding themselves able to vote for the first time.

Is it really important for young people to vote? Mrs. Sintros, who teaches Civics at Hopkinton High School, believes 18 year olds “are the least represented in our political system. They’re our future and are more educated than they’re given credit for.” She believes that voting in general is important because “it is habit forming and it allows people to become more involved in the political process.”

So what do 18 year olds think about being able to vote? Senior Laura Jones, who recently turned 18, said, “I’m so excited! I’m excited to get my voice out there and be heard.” Karissa Hazen had similar feelings, “I am really excited to vote. I finally have an opinion when it comes to our government, and that’s really important. I can finally make a difference.”

Jones and Hazen, like Mrs. Sintros, also expressed the belief that it's important for young people to vote. Jones believes that “it’s really important; the youth controls the future.” Hazen said, “I think it’s extremely important. It’s important because we can make a difference in how our country functions. Also our generation has a much different outlook on how things should be than older generations. [In voting,] we can get our opinions out there to be heard.”