I’m looking at that early voting line and saying what a lot of us are thinking: they show up. Every single time. People will stand there in droves to decide what our future looks like, what our gas prices look like, what happens in our communities, and too many young people still act like this has nothing to do with us. It does. If voting did not matter, those lines would not be that long.

What makes me sick is knowing that so many decisions are getting made while young people stay on the sidelines. We keep letting other people shape our future for us, then we act surprised when we do not like the outcome. This is bigger than one candidate and bigger than one election. It is about whether young people can realistically get to the polls, fit voting into work and school, and feel like the process is actually built for us too.

That is why I am calling on state election officials and lawmakers to expand early voting access in every community, especially in ways that make it easier for young people to participate. We need more early voting locations, longer hours, and access that works for students, first-time voters, and young workers who cannot always stand in line forever. If leaders want to talk about democracy, then they need to make sure young people are not shut out by barriers that can be fixed.

I want us outside. I want us involved. I want young people to have no excuse and no obstacle when it is time to vote. If you are tired of watching other people decide your future, sign this petition and demand real early voting access now.