No one under the age of 18 can vote in the United States of America under the 26th Amendment of the Constitution. This is understood by citizens of all ages, but can be frustrating for youth under the voting age who feel strongly about the political state of our country. Since the COVID pandemic, the interest of politics has been on the rise for teenagers and young adults, but there are limitations to the impact citizens under 18 can make.

Despite this, there is absolutely no reason underage citizens can’t try to make a difference with those chosen to represent our country. Students’ voices can and will be heard, whether it’s from social media or from word of mouth and action. 

These days, it’s hard to find anyone without a social media account. Millions of opinions are posted per day, and it’s no secret that politics are one of the most infamous sides of social media. Underage students and youth can work to spin this perception by creating a trendiness around voting, without even having to touch a ballot. People follow trends, and teenagers are good at creating them.

Along with their influence on apps like TikTok and Instagram, teenagers also have an effect on their peers. There is no excuse for skipping the vote if a person is of age and physically able to vote, and youth under the voting age have the responsibility of reminding their friends and family of that. No matter a peer’s political party, their vote is imperative to our country’s fully functioning democratic system. 

Along with supporting voters, students not able to vote can support the direct source: their favorite political candidate. There is no age limit to going to a political rally or donating to a campaign. This kind of support will help voters to form an opinion by seeing the large number of followers, thus leading to a voter’s interest in researching a candidate. 

Although lots can be said about students’ impact on our country’s democracy, some voters don’t believe that their opinion is necessary. Being under the age of 18 leaves one vulnerable to lots of judgment about age, and how that age limits what to care about. For example, a portion of older voters believe that a teenager’s mind isn’t developed enough to form a factual opinion on a candidate, despite the abundance of information within arms length of said teenagers. These days, anyone has access to the information needed to create an opinion on a political candidate. It comes down to whether the opinion is factual or not, and both teenagers and adults can make opinions based on emotion. There is no reason to believe that students can’t make a factual opinion, and try their best to support the voting process. 

At the end of the day, it’s not hard to get out there and vote, but it is impossible for those under 18. What’s not impossible is student’s ability to support our country’s democracy, no matter what limitations are put on them. Without even promoting a political party, students and those under 18 can put the right people in the right positions, and make the United States a place that represents all people, from a local standpoint to nationwide.