Amidst much political action this week, campaigns have been suspended, introduced and scrutinized. Regardless of which candidate you back, the lack of choice for primary candidates is due to the lack of voting. The way we can fix this is by voting and encouraging others to do the same, not just for the presidential elections.

Voting is the one way we have actual control about what occurs in the government. By electing candidates who we deem will fairly represent us as citizens and work for us, we will see the change we want in the country. 

The change we need starts in the lowest levels of elections—at the state and federal districts, school boards and city councils. The local legislature is what affects us most, and the way to mold this to reflect what we want is by educating yourself on local ballots and going to vote in as many elections as you can.

Websites like Ballotpedia.org strive to inform voters about candidates’ stances, voting history and proposals by previewing the ballot you vote in for whatever election is up. Just input your address and you can do a deep dive into candidates, especially for important elections like at the state and federal level—remember to fact-check.

We can debate endlessly online about which candidate is better, but the only way to get who we want to be elected is by going out to the polls. We can campaign all we want for whoever we support, but without getting people to vote, there’s nothing we can do about who’s elected.

By not voting, you’re essentially letting your future be dictated by those who do. And when that happens, it’s only your fault. 

Illinois’s voting day for the primaries is March 17, and early voting in DuPage County is open on campus until this Saturday in room 1020 of the IRC. If you haven’t registered yet, you can register online at vote.gov.