The right to vote is one that comes to Americans when they turn 18.

To mark the occasion, the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) in Redmond held an event with its younger members as some voted for the first time.

Ahsen Nadeem, youth director of MAPS, said the event was to stress the importance of civic engagement at a local level and motivate young people — the ones who cast their ballots as well as those who are still waiting their turn in the next few years — to vote. After meeting at MAPS in the evening, the group went to Redmond City Hall together so those who were old enough could drop off their ballots. The younger teens joined them to show their support, Nadeem said.

He said it is important for young people to vote because voting is critical for the viability of democracy and gives them the chance to add their voice to the political process.

For 18-year-old Aatqa Azhar, the right to vote was not something she took lightly. The Bellevue resident said it comes with a great deal of responsibility since it requires some political knowledge.

“In the past, I did not have much interest because I knew I could not do much to make a difference,” she said. “However, in the past few years, my interest in politics has greatly increased as I have learned about many issues that directly affect us as citizens. I now feel a sense of pride knowing that I have the chance of making my voice heard.”

Azhar said every vote counts because elected officials know who votes and each vote has a “great influence on public policy.” She added that it is especially important for youth to vote because they are the future leaders of tomorrow.

Azhar acknowledged that staying informed is not an easy feat and described it as a “learning activity we need to keep up with.” She said it is our responsibility as citizens to do so.

“Many Americans from the past fought for us to have the right to vote,” she said. “We cannot forget our history. Each one of us has a duty to leave the world a better place for the next generations.”

Sally Elhousieny also voted for the first time this election. The 18-year-old Bothell resident said she has been waiting to vote for a long time, but admitted that she was hoping for better options in presidential candidates than Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

“Even though I voted for Hillary, I wasn’t a big fan of a lot of her policies,” Elhousieny said. “However, we all knew she was much better than Trump. I would rather have her than Trump. America can recover after Hillary but America can’t recover after Trump.”

She said while it is important to vote in general, it was especially important to vote in this year’s election because “your life is in the hands of whoever is president for the next four years.”

With Trump as the president-elect, both Azhar and Elhousieny have concerns.

Elhousieny asked with him advocating racism, sexism, Islamophobia and hate in its other forms, “what should we expect from the people that follow him?”

She said now that Trump will be in office, she is concerned for the safety of her family, friends and even strangers who could be deported, become victims of hate crimes or killed. A Trump presidency also has Elhousieny worried about the country’s foreign policy and how the United States deals with other nations.

Azhar was left speechless after the results came in for the presidential race. Living in the Seattle area, she said she has seen mostly support for the Democratic party and she was shocked to see the “immense support” for the Republican party in other states.

Despite their concerns, neither Azhar nor Elhousieny are discouraged.

“I am sure we will hold onto our values as citizens,” Azhar said. “We cannot let fear overtake us, and as always, we need to have the hope for a brighter future.”

Elhousieny sees this as an opportunity to come together.

“Him becoming president isn’t going to stop me or other people of color to fight back and stand up for our rights,” she said. “This gives us a chance to become more unified and get together to fight for what is right. We will not let hate win.”