As Election Day approached, U.S citizens were given the right to choose government officials, state propositions, and the president of the United States through a vote, giving citizens a say in how the country is run. 

The more people who are registered and vote, the more people are able to participate in the democratic process. With social media platforms now being a big part of our everyday lives, it is now a vehicle to both promote voting and register voters. 

Dean of Students Raquel Oliva Gómez said, “Voting is a privilege and an opportunity to have your voice heard and bring about change in local and national elections. Also, it is important to represent the folks in our communities who cannot vote, and those not brought into this world yet, because not everyone is eligible to participate in an election.” 

Over the years, social media has become more powerful and impactful. It has so much influence on today’s society that by promoting voting registration on platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, and others, citizens are more likely to register. 

Claire Ibalio ’22 stated, “It is important to spread awareness about registering to vote because most people don’t vote thinking that other people will vote for them, but every single vote counts in order for things to change.” 

Usually through announcements, a cool website banner, fun stickers, and informative links,  social media platforms are able to spread awareness about the importance of participating in elections by voting. For example, Instagram had constant reminders about registering to vote and a story specifically dedicated to it. 

Facebook hosted a Vote-A-Thon, where celebrities appeared on a livestream to give educational PSAs about registration. Twitter had a #YourVoiceYourVote campaign, in which celebrities posted with the hashtag and a link to vote.org. 

There was even a National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 4 that paid special attention to social media outreach about voter registration. Through social media, about 3 million people registered to vote. 

“I one hundred percent believe that social media platforms advocating for people, especially the youth, to vote and register to vote are effective. I believe our generation is one of the strongest when it comes to understanding current events…” Jocelyn Guerrero ’21 said. 

Promoting registration through social media is not only for those who can vote now, but also the people who will be deciding the elections in the future such as the current generation. It spreads awareness to younger generations, who are starting to formulate their own political views, about how registering to vote is important. 

Social media can also help educate and provide resources for those in the dark about voter registration. Through social media, the importance of voting is amplified, hoping that every citizen uses this privilege to make change.