Social Media is a Powerful Tool

Voting is important for our nation and local communities. For our voice to be heard, we must express our opinion. Not everyone has the right to vote, so we should use our vote to make a change and take a stand. Did you know that registered voters between the ages of 18 and 29 are the least likely to go out and vote? In the 2016 election, 138 million American citizens voted which is 58% of the eligible voting population. So, why are only 58% using their right to vote? We can change minds through social media.

We can appeal to young citizens eligible to vote by informing them on candidate choices, what each stand for, and why voting is important. Citizens between the ages of 18 and 29 spend the most time on social media. Did you know that Instagram and Snapchat are the most popular among 18 to 24-year-old citizens? Pictures can speak words and posting inspiring photos that promote voting on Instagram and Snapchat are a good marketing strategy and can change minds. It's a good way to express your ideas!

In addition to Snapchat and Instagram, Facebook and YouTube continue to be the leading social media websites in comparison to Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Pinterest, Reddit, and LinkedIn. We as a community can appeal to voters between the ages of 18 and 29 by creating videos that promote the 2020 election year. Facebook offers users the ability to create groups and event pages which can be utilized to get friends, family, and local community members excited about voting in this year’s election. By using social media, we can appeal to voters aged 18 to 29. The 2020 election gives us a chance to change minds and social media provides opportunity. So, let's utilize it.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Take a stand on what you believe in! Let’s reach out to local community members and explain why voting is important for us all. This is our country, and we all have a voice. Use resources such as social media to promote your voice. Social media provides the chance to promote voting, reach out, and make the 2020 election year coun

“You’ve got to vote, vote, vote, vote. That’s it: that’s the way we move forward.”

-Michelle Obama.

-Megan Vader Bongolan

Sources: 

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2017/05/voting_in_america.html

https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/post-election-2016/voter-turnout

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/10/share-of-u-s-adults-using-social-media-including-facebook-is-mostly-unchanged-since-2018/