With midterm elections right around the corner, young American adults celebrate the fortieth anniversary of their right to vote.
 On June 22, 1970, Richard Nixon signed the bill that permitted 18-year-olds to vote.
 On Nov. 2, 435 House seats, 37 Senate seats, and 37 governors will be chosen, according to CNN.
 The elected officials will impact the issues currently facing our country, such as the problems with the economy and the health care system.
 American citizens are fortunate enough to have a role in their government and should not ignore it.
 Instead of sitting back and letting our lives be so negatively affected, we should speak up.
 College students should get more informed about the issues facing the country and how they affect us.
 Nationally, college tuitions have risen, teachers have been laid off, and programs have been cut.�
 Due to the current economy, Georgia students now face the fact that the HOPE scholarship, as well as other student financial aid, might be gone soon as well.
 These upcoming leaders will be able to work from the inside and hopefully gain control over the current chaos of the education system.
 We have this wonderful opportunity to decide on who will or will not influence our collegiate lives, and we should feel compelled to take advantage of it.
 The economy has also affected the amount of jobs available to students before and after graduation.
 This past July, 18.6 million people between the ages of 18 to 24 filed for unemployment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and, due to the recession, about 6.9 million jobs designed for young adults were cut.
 College students often need jobs to fund their schooling, to pay rent or to buy groceries, and the less jobs available makes it harder for some to fulfill all those responsibilities.
 Having a degree barely gives you an edge in the working world anymore as college graduates face the lack of jobs as well.
 Nixon signed us a great gift when he passed the amendment to the Constitution’s voting standards, and we should honor that.
 All across the nation, college students are protesting the cuts towards their education, while college graduates are trying to justify spending thousands of dollars on a degree as they struggle to find a job.
 This is our moment to impact and change the issues. This is our time to be heard. Take it with pride.
 Visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s Web site for more information on your registration status and voting location.