Almost half of all American adults have no right to complain about being sick of Bill Clinton and his numerous scandals.

Why? Because 46 percent of Americans who had the potential to make Clinton go away in 1996 chose to do nothing.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 54 percent of eligible voters chose to be part of the presidential selection process that year. The statistics are even more pathetic among voters between the ages of 18 and 24, a group among which only 32 percent voted in 1996.

I am by no means lamenting Bob Dole's defeat. In fact, if I had been old enough, I would have voted for Clinton. But this is not a commentary on the merits of one politician. I am concerned with something larger: the fact that millions of Americans do not feel the need to vote, even though voting is one of the easiest and most important ways of participating in the American republic.

A major complaint of American colonists in the 1770s was lack of representation in the British government. In later years, countless numbers of Americans fought to ensure the vote for women and minorities. Other countries look to the U.S. as a model for what a government should be. The right for all of a country's citizens to vote in free and open elections guarantees freedom in that country. Do you think that Fidel Castro would still be ruling Cuba is Cubans enjoyed the same voting privileges as Americans?

I am not sure why so many Americans would not want to vote. Perhaps they don't think that their votes make a difference in the outcome of elections. However, this is not true.

A single vote has the most impact in local elections. This November in my hometown, one candidate for our Board of Education beat out his opponent by 10 votes. My area's representative to the U.S. Congress has frequently been in close races. These elected officials make decisions on a daily basis that affect the lives of their constituents.

But one vote couldn't possibly make a difference in a national election, a skeptical person might argue. Perhaps one vote really wouldn't influence the outcome of a presidential election. But millions of Americans choose not to vote every November. Millions of voters — almost half of all possible voters — can make a difference in any election.

There is really no excuse for not voting. Registering is easy; visiting www.rockthevote.org can begin the process. People who will be unable to make it to the actual poll site on election day can easily obtain an absentee ballot.

But why wait for November to begin exercising your voice in American politics? March 7 is an important day for presidential nominee hopefuls because many states have primaries on that day. There is still time to register for that date. Even if you're not going to vote in an upcoming primary, it's still a good idea to register soon.

No matter when you get around to registering, please take advantage of your right to help select our country's leaders. Even if the candidate you didn't support wins, at least you can complain.

• Get out and vote