192.

That’s how many students are old enough to vote in the upcoming election.

It may not seem like a lot, but that’s enough votes to swing a local race, such as the school board election. And when you combine it with schools around the country, young voters can be a very powerful voting block.

As a young voter, students hold the power to represent and influence the politics of their generation. To make their voices heard on issues that impact them. Local issues such as how the school district is run, or national issues like student loan debt – these will impact today’s teenagers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, only 15.9 percent of registered voters ages 18 to 24 voted in the latest midterm election in 2014. That’s the worst percentage among the various age demographics for voting.

As the youngest demographic allowed to vote, their voice is so important yet often overlooked. What’s important to remember is that in voting, everyone’s vote counts equally despite your age.

The 2018 Midterm Election is Nov. 6. If you are a registered voter you can find your precinct number on your voter registration card, which determines your polling location. All polling locations are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on election day.

If you know you’re not going to be able to go to your designated polling place on election day or just don’t want to wait in long lines, no worries, you can early vote! Early voting begins October 22nd and ends November 2nd. You don’t have to vote at your designated polling place when early voting and times the polls are open vary depending on location.

So now that know how to vote, more importantly, who do you vote for?

Midterm elections’ biggest offices up for election are the state’s House Representatives and Senator seats, along with multiple state offices, including governor.

A majority of registered voters only turn out once every four years for the Presidential Election. But many argue that a midterm election is even more important to vote in because the winner is going to affect you more directly. State and local elected officials make decisions that can affect daily life.

A student at Tomball High School would most likely live in either District 10, represented by Michael McCall or District 8, represented by Kevin Brady, both Republicans. They are both running for reelection; Mike Seigler is the Democratic nominee for District 10, and Tomball’s Steven Davis is running against Brady in District 8. Find what district you live in and who represents you at https://bit.ly/2OrwDo1.

The Texas Senate race is one of the most competitive and nationally covered in recent history. Ted Cruz of Houston is the Republican incumbent versus Democratic Congressman Robert “Beto” O’Rourke of El Paso.
Historically Republicans have dominated state-wide races, but O’Rourke has raised an astonishing amount of money and the polls show the race as highly competitive.

Want more information? Then VoteTexas.gov is your one stop shop for all things you need to know regarding the voting process.