I love voting. I love “I Voted” stickers. If I vote early, I save my sticker so I can wear it again on election day.

Over the years, I have met enough ambivalent people and read enough polls to know that not enough people are as obsessed with voting as I am. Voter turnout is trending up, but it could be higher.

The 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections were three of the highest turnout elections of their type in decades, with 49%, 66%, and 46% turnout respectively. Yet, only 37% of eligible voters voted in all three.

If you aren’t registered to vote, register to VOTE like NOW! The voter registration deadline in Florida is Monday, October 7th. If you don’t live in Florida, check here to find the deadline in your state.

After registering to vote, make sure you prepare. Know what is on your ballot, research the candidates and ballot measures, make your choices before heading to the polls, and, if needed, make a little cheat sheet. The good news is voting isn’t a test, so it’s not even cheating. If you get a sample ballot in the mail or print one from home, you can make notes on your ballot and bring it with you to vote.

Regardless of who you are voting for, your voice matters. VOTE!

Sources: Pew Research Center, Vote.org, Vote411