After the school shooting which left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the young survivors have reminded our nation of the power of youth advocacy as they refuse to let their voices be silenced.

Awful occurrences like this one might leave some people feeling helpless. We must remember, however, that our country is one of the people, and if the people want change, we must enact our rights as Americans to catalyze it.

For a country which served as a model for democracy to the rest of the world, our nation’s voter turnout is astoundingly low. According to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, only about 50% of eligible voters, age 18-29, voted in the 2016 general election.

According to The Boston Globe, a study by The Benenson Strategy Group found that in 2014, 77% of people aged 18-34 could not name one of their state senators. This ignorance by the vast majority of young Americans seems odd, considering that in the same study, Congress had a 72.2% disapproval rating.

The next election for Washington state will take place on August 7, and the deadline to register for this online is July 9, according to Ballotpedia, but don’t wait until then. At www.vote.gov, you can register to vote in less than five minutes, with the number from your drivers license. Unlike many government websites and processes, registering to vote using this website is easy, simple, and fast.

In Presidential elections at least, it might be hard to see how one vote could make a difference, especially in a safe state like Washington, where the electoral votes almost always go to the same party, despite different election years and new candidates. This mindset, however, when held by enough people, surely sways election results drastically.

We also often forget the impact which local government can have on our lives. Do you complain about the omnipresent traffic in Seattle, or the new toll lanes? Do you think that enough is being done to help the homeless in Seattle, or that we need a new approach? Do you know your state legislators, or your city’s governor, who make the decisions about these things?

Even if you aren’t yet old enough to register to vote, you can still get in contact with your representatives. A quick Google search should let you know who they are, if you aren’t already aware.

It shouldn’t have to take a tragedy to remind us to uphold our civic duties, but here we are. Let us all make something good come out of this terrible event, and follow the lead of these survivors to fight for our values.