Oh The Places You’ll Vote…

To the editor: A call to the young people of Nantucket

Congratulations, Seniors — you’re nearing the day.
Your tassels are waiting, you’re well on your way.
You’ve studied, you’ve struggled, you’ve learned how to decide.
Your voice has a place and should be shared with pride.

Annual Town Meeting is an island tradition
where many show up and speak with conviction.
While some may feel this poem is urging a specific choice,
it is not; it is sharing the structure that gives you your voice.

Oh, the places you’ll vote!

In today’s political climate that is so polarized,
please know you can vote if you’re 18, yes, it’s legalized!
Through life, the government will make decisions that impact you,
so you should have a say, as you are entitled to.

Maybe you have a loved one living at Our Island Home.
You want debris removed in Tom Nevers where you like to roam.
Or a friend’s parent works for the town and is in need of housing.
Understanding local issues requires diligent browsing.

As you research, remember what is essential:
peer-reviewed data, free of bias and full of potential.
For as a reading teacher, my job could not be more clear:
the skill of media literacy in this day and age is truly top-tier.

Comb through the rhetoric, the tone, and find what you perceive to be true
Draw conclusions that feel right in your gut, stay authentic to you
As a community member, act with integrity,
something we need more of in today’s democracy.

Like Mark Twain said, “Keep away from those who belittle your ambitions.”
Block out harmful noise that discourages your mission.
Stay grounded, fair, and full of compassion,
for nothing good in this world happens without brave actions.

Oh, the places you’ll vote!

At Town Meeting, listen to others with thoughtful consideration,
because the freedom of speech is what makes this land a great nation.
In the agora, the Ancient Greeks created the public forum.
During difficult debates, you must act with decorum.

When you vote, things won’t always go your way.
If and when that happens, please know it will all be okay.
Change is scary and doesn’t last forever;
this town can handle anything if we stick together.

Now adults and town leaders, here’s my sincere request:
Let young voters learn by doing, just like the rest.
When students turn eighteen, the Constitution is clear:
their right to participate begins right here.

So to the Class of 2026, wherever the ocean guides your boat,
remember one truth as you come ashore to vote:
your voice is not borrowed, suggested, or lent,
but yours by right, by law, and civic intent.

Oh, the places you’ll go.

And yes, the places you’ll vote.

Elizabeth Baraldi Weber