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I have never voted nor will I. I do not see the point in voting for the lesser of two evils, how is that even helping anyone? Your more or less telling them ( Hey we know your going to screw us over but not as much as the other guy) The voting system is so very flawed. There is no chance of anyone getting into office who isn't a member of one of the two parties. In the case of no one voting someone still gets elected. Both parties spend more time blaming the other so nothing ever gets done. No ONE party has the advantage over the other this country is in the crapper & will keep on going until WE ALL get serious about things.
It's worth doing, especially with mail ballots, cause it doesn't take much time. The local issues, like there was one that would have shut down abortion or something like that in the Springs, failed by a very narrow margin, like within a hundred votes if I remember right. That made me feel like my vote was worthwhile.
National elections though are so skewed with the electoral college and winner take all system that your vote really is wasted. The US has one of the worst ways of voting in the developed world.
When you vote, you are participating in the process and by implication consenting to the outcome. I think not voting is a legitimate choice.
In the last 43 years, I've only voted three times. And if I had to do it over, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm certainly not about to vote for the "lesser of two evils." Someday, all the people who don't vote are going to get sick of the clowns and vote them all out. Until, then, I'll be out having fun somewhere on election day.
Someday, when there's a real person running, let me know.
It's a real shame that people in democratic nations do not vote. I understand it is hard to trust any politician but why not "no vote" for all candidates but one. Voting is strategic. If you really dislike the looks of one or more candidates then vote for the one least distasteful. Then you know your "worst" candidates all get less votes.
Another thing, before you make a decision based on personalities, look at the candidates' platforms (readily available on the internet) to know just what they intend to do in power.
It is especially disappointing when women do not vote. I think of the battle there was for women to even be recognized as persons first, then to be "allowed" by men to be given the right to vote. The suffragettes strove for years and met with bodily injury just to get their voices heard and acted upon. They got it in Feb 1913.
Well, as a nod to the suffragettes, I plan on voting in the next presidential election and I haven't voted before. The reason I'll be voting now is because I want someone, anyone, except one of those Republican clowns to get into office where they think they can take away my rights as a woman to do what I want with my own body. I may be the only one, but I'm going to send them the message that I am the one who owns my body and that none of those old religious white men are going to send me back to 1850.
If someone like myself doesn't vote it is because there is no one that I would like as president amongst the candidates. so that is a vote. My non vote should be counted as a vote because I am one person amongst a number of people who won't vote for someone that I don't like. Of course there are people that don't vote because they are lazy, don't care, etc. But their non vote is still a vote and will be counted as someone who didn't vote for their own reason. When they count votes they are automatically counting non votes also.
What difference does it make. Do you think our forefathers were that naive to let normal citizens such as us have that much power by simply voting?? Guess again
If someone like myself doesn't vote it is because there is no one that I would like as president amongst the candidates. so that is a vote. My non vote should be counted as a vote because I am one person amongst a number of people who won't vote for someone that I don't like. Of course there are people that don't vote because they are lazy, don't care, etc. But their non vote is still a vote and will be counted as someone who didn't vote for their own reason. When they count votes they are automatically counting non votes also.
I don't want to exaggerate the importance of voting, but I would rather vote for a 3rd party than not vote. When you don't vote, it could be for a variety of reasons, as you said. Voting against the 2 major parties at least adds to the specific count against them.
I thought this video was a good and amusing critique of the idea of "not voting". A lot of the points are relevant regardless of your political views. I link this because I'm too lazy to type out a long response myself.
You're no different from the people who didn't even know there was an election. It means nothing.
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The voting system is so very flawed. There is no chance of anyone getting into office who isn't a member of one of the two parties. In the case of no one voting someone still gets elected. Both parties spend more time blaming the other so nothing ever gets done. No ONE party has the advantage over the other this country is in the crapper & will keep on going until WE ALL get serious about things.
