Next week we will celebrate Super Tuesday in the United States when 12 states and one territory will hold their Presidential primaries. This morning I exercised my right to vote in Austin.

Voting is of course a right that all American citizens have. To me though, voting is not just a right. It is our personal responsibility as citizens and as leaders in this country.

Why Voting is Our Personal Responsibility

Let me share some very sad and alarming stats with you. Sixty percent of the voting eligible population votes during Presidential election years, and only about 40 percent votes during midterm elections. We are in primary season now though (and weird Caucus season). What do those numbers look like?

In 2012, the average turnout in the 41 states that held Democratic and Republican Presidential primaries was just 17.3 percent, according to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center — the lowest total since 1972. (These numbers we higher in 2008 and look like they will be much higher this year as well.)

How sad are these numbers? What could possibly be worse than those numbers? How about that more than 65 percent of Americans use social media where they can easily complain about our leaders?

Here’s a thought for a new law:

No one can complain about any elected official if they did not vote.

I mentioned earlier that I exercised my right to vote, but again voting is not just a right. It is our personal responsibility. There is nothing worse than someone who says “my vote doesn’t really matter…”

Doesn’t matter? Really? What would happen if every voting eligible person took personal responsibility and voted? I think the votes would count then.

The United States faces plenty of problems. It is easy to hear about most of these. Just turn on the news or watch one of these million Presidential debates. (I have some views on these debates as well.) With all those problems though, the biggest one we face, at least in my opinion, is APATHY.

The numbers mentioned above show that a large percentage of people in our country are apathetic when it comes voting and really the many issues we face. We could solve our problems if we just took personal responsibility and voted. We could solve problems if we stopped complaining and blaming other people and just came together to be the change we want to see.

If you vote in a primary, you usually will get a stamp on your Voter ID card that shows which primary you vote in. It could say Democrat or Republican.

If you choose not to vote in a primary, your card should be stamped with APATHETIC. You are refusing to take personal responsibility. You are a part of the problem and have no interest in being a part of the solution.

The numbers I mentioned must be changed. It is time that we as a country come together and take personal responsibility and exercise our right to vote. It is time for our voices to be heard. They cannot be heard if we don’t say something.

I voted this morning. Will you join me when it comes time for your area? You are not supporting a candidate. You will be supporting yourself.

If you vote, you can get one of those awesome stickers that says, “I Voted.” You can post a picture of yourself with that sticker on your social media account(s). Well 65 percent of people can do this.

Personally though, I think the stickers should be changed. I think they should no longer say, “I Voted.” They should say, “I Took Personal Responsibility.”

Not sure how this change can be made. Maybe we can vote on it.