The time is coming, with 2016’s presidential elections getting ever closer and important but sometimes overlooked local elections nearing. It’s time to get your voice heard and take part in the democratic process by voting.

Before you can take part in the voting process, make important decisions for your country and community and select politicians to wield power in office, you need to register to vote.

Registering to vote isn’t difficult as long as you meet the criteria. Anyone that is a resident of Washington, a U.S. citizen, and will be 17 and a half when they vote can register with nothing more than a Washington driver’s license or other valid Washington State ID.

Registration can be done either at home online or in person at Washington Department of Licensing, or alternatively you can print a copy of the Washington State Voter Registration Form and deliver it to the county election department. To register online you can visit www.sos.wa.gov, the process is as simple as filling out some short questions and entering some personal information.

Besides just voting, it’s also vital to remain informed to make thoughtful decisions on the ballot. But Political Science professor at EvCC, Dr. Horn, explained voting is only one way to participate in the political process. “It is very important to vote, but that’s just one way to be involved. Talking with others. Participating in important debates about important policy issues is also valuable. So… even your political posts on Facebook are “important” in a certain sense.”

Besides participating in political discussion, Dr. Horn explained the importance of staying informed as well. “Staying informed usually requires reading from a number of news sources, but should also involve reading books in history etc. This is an ongoing process, by the way. Nobody ever becomes fully informed. There is too much to know out there, so the best we can do is to try to get a little bit better, a little bit more informed, each day.”

So what do EvCC students think?  EvCC student Zac Smith voiced that he thinks it’s important to vote, “Yes, one hundred percent. If we don’t vote, then it’s not realistic to expect anything to change.” But he appeared less enthusiastic when asked his opinion on the party’s respective front runners. “I’m pessimistic about it to say the least. I really feel like Trump and Clinton are equally bad for our country.”

Fellow student David Ott is registered to vote as well, and offered his opinions on the candidates.“I understand why some people like Donald Trump,” he said, “given that he’s devoted his whole life into building a brand out of his name, but the dude isn’t qualified to be president. He hardly knows anything about foreign policy and tends to have extremely barbaric ideas to handle any problem. Bernie Sanders seems like a one issue politician and Hillary Clinton doesn’t seem very trustworthy.”

So whether you agree or disagree, the power is ultimately held by those who participate and vote. If you want to see change in the way things are done in this country, voting can give you that opportunity.