With the midterms right around the corner, voters are already showing signs of electoral fatigue. A recent Pew poll found that two out of three Americans feel exhausted when they think about politics. And honestly, who can blame them?

Beneath that malaise, many voters are quietly asking the same question: Will my vote even matter? Gallup also found that half of Americans worry their own ballot won’t be counted. That is staggering!

Unfortunately, we see this lack of confidence in Pennsylvania, too. Nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvanians identified election integrity as an important issue, according to a recent Commonwealth Foundation poll.

So, let me start with a quick answer and a plain request: Yes, your vote matters, so please cast yours on (or before) Nov. 3. The offices on your ballot—from governor to the state and federal legislatures—shape the taxes you pay, the schools your kids attend, and the services available in your community.

Staying home isn’t a protest; it’s choosing apathy over civic engagement. Self-government requires participation. When citizens sit on the sidelines and choose not to vote, there are real consequences. You get the government you elect, and not voting removes you from the process that is so fundamental to our constitutional republic.

But the onus for this issue doesn’t rest entirely on voters. Voters’ trust in an election is only as good as the laws that secure its integrity, and that trust is earned only when laws are clear, consistent, and verifiable. None of this is about making it harder to vote. It’s about making it impossible to cheat, so every Pennsylvanian can walk away confident that their ballot counted.

Election integrity is long overdue, and Pennsylvanians are ready to secure our elections. Three-fourths support modernizing state election laws to include voter identification. Most importantly, nearly 90 percent say making government more accountable and transparent is important—and elections are where that accountability begins.

Despite this overwhelming public support, Pennsylvania still remains one of only 14 states without a voter ID law. This is a matter of Pennsylvania law, meaning the responsibility rests squarely with Harrisburg.

However, inaction has become the norm. Over the past two decades, all efforts to enact voter ID laws have failed. The most recent voter ID bill to reach a governor’s desk was during the 2021–22 session, where it was promptly vetoed by then-Gov. Tom Wolf. Even the most recent legislation will likely die in committee with the end of the legislative session fast approaching, leaving voters without the commonsense safeguards they overwhelmingly want.

We ask people to show identification for countless everyday activities, from boarding a flight to picking up a prescription. Surely the act that sustains our self-government deserves the same care.

But voter ID is only the beginning. Genuine reform also means updated voter rolls, clear and sensible mail-in ballot deadlines, and uniform administration from one county to the next. This way, a voter in Philadelphia County and a voter in Potter County play by the same rules. All of this is just common sense and good governance.

Reforms like these will restore faith in our elections and bring the people to the polls.  People are more likely to vote when they believe the system is sound.

Between now and Election Day, make a plan to vote and encourage your family members, friends, and neighbors to do the same. Remember: More than 1 million Americans made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom, including the right to vote. You can honor their selfless service and participate in our democratic process by casting your ballot.

Then, after the votes are counted, stay engaged. Ask the candidates you elected—and the ones you didn’t—where they stand on election integrity and hold them to their answers once they take office.

Trust is not optional in a republic. It is what holds the whole system together. Integrity, security, and transparency in our elections should be our north star. The good people of our great commonwealth deserve nothing less.

Megan Martin is the chief operating officer and general counsel for the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank.