We’re now less than four weeks away from the Pennsylvania Primary Election on Tuesday, April 23.

Now is the time to register to vote if you aren’t already registered, or to make sure to update your voter registration, if that’s necessary. April 8 is the deadline to submit, update, or change your Pennsylvania Voter Registration.

We encourage everyone to participate in the upcoming Primary Election and, of course, the General Election in November, when the U.S. will elect its next President.

Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our democracy, and we’d all be much better off if more of us participated in elections—and by doing so, held elected officials accountable for their job performance.

Voting isn’t just a right. It’s a responsibility. And it’s a responsibility we should all take seriously.

Some of us might believe that our votes don’t matter. That’s not true. Every vote matters. Some elections, especially local ones, have been decided by just a few votes, and sometimes just a single vote makes a difference.

Some of us are turned off by politics and by politicians. It doesn’t matter.

What’s more important is that we all care about schools, the economy, health care, crime, and other important issues at the national, state, and local level. That means that we all have something at stake when it comes to the outcome on Election Day.

Some of us might be turned off by the candidates on the ballot in a particular election. That doesn’t really matter, either.

Voting is the best way that citizens can influence and shape the government that will make decisions and will create the laws and policies. Participating in elections will result in a more inclusive and representative government. 

Conversely, when people sit out elections, they surrender their power to those people who do vote, allowing a smaller group of people to decide on the issues that impact everyone.

Voting is important. It’s a way to honor our history as a democracy. Many people have fought and sacrificed to earn and protect our right to vote. Voting is a way to bring about change that we want to see—to make a difference in the world around us.

So make sure that you’re registered to vote, and then make sure to carry out your civic duty on Election Day.