Vote on candidate character, policy; not gender, race

If you have had any human interaction at all in the past five months, you know that the presidential race is nearing an end. In a couple months you will cast your vote for the next President of the United States of America. But how many of you are voting for the right reason?
Over the past few months I have heard several “justified” reasons for voting one way or another. Many of them can be viable explanations for casting a vote one way or the other, but there are some reasons that are simply ridiculous.
“I’m voting for Hillary because she would be the first female president.”
“I’m voting for Trump because he is a man.”
Last time I checked, gender is not a qualification for the presidency. I am a firm believer that everyone should vote. It is a responsibility that every citizen has and it should be taken seriously.
Do not vote because you want someone to make history.
It goes the other way too. Don’t vote for Trump just to keep a woman out of office. Don’t vote for Hillary because Trump’s hair stylist took a sick year.
I think that too many people get caught in that trap. Being female or male does not make you a better option for the office. It doesn’t matter if you are white, black, brown, purple, or orange. Skin color does not make you a better or worse president. Being a leader, being a voice for the people; these are the qualities that we should look for in a candidate.
Vote because you firmly believe that a candidate would make the best possible president. Vote because you can stand behind what that candidate says.
If you truly believe in a candidate for what he or she has to say, then cast your vote. Let your voice be heard. I have no problem with you voting for what you think is right, even if your opinion is different than mine. Sure we might disagree, but if you stand up for what you believe in, I can respect that.
Voting is everyone’s responsibility to our country. My fear is that too many people are voting for the wrong reason. Think about what these candidates are actually saying, and how their ideas will affect the country.
Instead of focusing on what they look like, or how they act, focus on what actually matters. Appearance, race, or gender should not be a part of the application.
So before you cast your ballot, remember that whoever you vote for is going to run the nation for the next four years. Voting should be taken seriously, with a lot of thought put into it.
Send your vote in with confidence that your chosen candidate will have a positive impact on our nation.