Tuesday, Nov. 4, midterm elections unfolded across the country. That day, voters elected Larry Hogan as the next governor of Maryland. This is a surprising and dynamic shift in Maryland politics, as democrats outnumber republicans in the state 2:1.

So, what happens now?

Larry Hogan has said he does not support a women’s right to abortion, same-sex marriage, or the gun-control law in Maryland. But, he says he won’t work to roll back any advances on these issues. Many democrats question that, because the National Rifle Association (NRA) conducted an interview with Hogan, and gave him an “A-” rating regarding gun control. Hogan will not release any information in relation to the interview. Hogan argues Maryland should not legalize marijuana just to fund politicians’ “pet projects”. He opposes universal Pre-K, unlike his opponent, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown.

Hogan ran a campaign heavily focused on economic issues in Maryland. After all, he is an Anne Arundel businessman, not an elected official. In fact, his website only has information on the economy, nothing regarding social issues. He plans to focus on decreasing unemployment, lowering taxes, and making Maryland more welcoming for “job creators”. He explains that under the O’Malley administration, 10 of the 13 fortune 500 companies of Maryland and 6,500 small businesses left the state. He wants to create a more friendly business climate by decreasing taxes and regulations. Hogan does not support the recent minimum wage increase to $10.10 an hour, but will not take action to reverse it.

Maryland is heavily reliant on the Chesapeake Bay, so environmental issues are prominent in the state. According to the EPA, less than a third of the estuary’s water is actually clean, so the bay is currently in very poor condition. Hogan says he wants to cut “job-killing regulations”, which often includes pollution standards. He also says Maryland needs to push “back on the EPA”. But, Hogan says he will explore options to prevent dangerous sediment flows that would harm the ecosystem of the bay, if neglected.

With Annapolis dominated by a Democratic legislature, it will be interesting to see how well a Republican governor can lead issues in Maryland. Also, Hogan and future Attorney General and Democrat Brian Frosh have very different visions of the state. Frosh plans to crack down on businesses polluting the bay, uphold the Firearm Safety Act, and speak out for women’s issues by combating domestic violence and sexual assault.

Many people don’t pay attention to midterm elections. Especially students in Bel Air High School, because we’re busy or aren’t old enough to vote. But this doesn’t mean that midterms aren’t important. In my AP government class, one of the first things I learned was that democracy is strongest when citizens participate. The less people participate, the more fragile it becomes. If you don’t vote, you’re letting a complete stranger make life-altering decisions for you. If the alarming trend of young people not voting continues, the future of our nation and state becomes darker. The next time there is a gubernatorial race in Maryland, most of us will be able to vote. Will we vote to keep Hogan?

If we will vote at all, and control our own destinies, is another question altogether.