The 2016 election is proving to be one of the most controversial and heated elections yet. Two very different but powerful candidates have left a lot of tension and pressure for the voting youth. The outcome of this election is uncertain and confusion runs steady among the up and coming group of voters this year who are either in the first year of college or senior year of high school.

The first step in order to vote is to fill out the registration form. You can contact your county commissioner of registration or superintendent of elections to send you it via email. Before deciding who you’d like to support, be sure to continually check news stories in regard to the candidates and tune into the televised debates.

It is also good to do your back up research on each person running via articles and Wikipedia. Becoming an informed voter requires looking at the major party and the third party agendas.  For example, go on each candidate’s websites.  

Since this is a volatile election, some may abstain from voting. Mr. Puglise of Wayne Valley high-school is a social studies studies teacher and a very strong personality.

The first time he voted was in his senior year. Interestingly, he now believes that voting is of no use. “The 2 established parties DO NOT represent the interest of any but a small portion of the American public.” A big and thought provoking statement to take into consideration. He also further explains that regardless of this, people of all ages should focus more on these debates due to the current apathetic attitude and lack of knowledge amongst the public. “Those in power take advantage of this fact and promote agendas that are actually harmful.”

Diving deeper into this country’s epidemic, Puglise exposes the recent police brutality issues as well. Describing them as simply symptoms of a society that has allowed so many people to sink down to a level of desperation. Regardless, this is an area with many strong opinions and controversial topics, everyone must be sure to do the proper research before taking action.