Poll: Do you vote?

[Cowabungaa]

I'd have to fill in a bunch of forms, as I live abroad, and seeing as I'm barely back in the Netherlands as is I don't really get the chance for that.

That, and I don't feel like I'm informed enough of Dutch political matters and involved enough to make an informed choice and I don't think you should vote if you're not well-informed.

So no, I end up not voting these days as I can't vote for Belgian elections either. I have voted for several Dutch elections in the past though. But these days my interests lie in the geo-political arena anyway.

 

[flying_whimsy]

I vote, but I'm becoming increasingly disinterested in a political system that not only ignores its duty to the constituency, but also actively negates the effect of voting through gerrymandering.

If I were president, gerrymandering would be considered an act of treason (along with taking 'gifts' from lobbyists). I'd have a special tree planted near the hill for the hangings.

 

[FPLOON]

I vote in America despite that it's more of a "suggestion vote" than a "literal vote" when you think about it...

Other than that...

Spoiler: Who doesn't want to dunk the vote?

 

[Recusant]

U.S. citizen here, and I've voted in every single election I've legally been able to.

Other countries I can't speak for, but I'm downright stunned at the naivete of my fellow Americans who don't, out of some sense of "principle". Yes, the system is flawed, even more than you're probably aware of, but not voting isn't saying "I refuse to support an inadequate system". If it were to vanish, it would not be replaced by something better. It's saying "I refuse to legitimize the only check on the power of immoral, corrupt assholes and the advancement of their agendas".

There is no "don't vote" in this country.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Voting' compulsory in Argentina, but I'm registered far and away from my current place of residence, so all I do on Election Day is go to the nearest police station and get my "Legally Justified Why He Couldn't Vote" card.

 

[Harlemura]

I live in the UK and the only time I voted was this year to vote for the Labour party since they said they weren't gonna cut maintenance grants for university students and I want to go to university next year.
Labour didn't win, but since I voted I now have the right to complain about the result. Though I don't even do that since I don't have any interest in politics whatsoever, hence why my first vote is, more than likely, also going to be my last one.

 

[omega 616]

I have a very graphic and grotesque analogy for voting that would be 100% effective at both conveying my opinion and having swift mod wrath crash down on my skull. In open conversation I would say it and not bat an eye 'cos I love to shock but on here, no can do.

Anyway, no, I don't vote. You vote for promises that you know will be broken by greedy, selfish people looking to raid the coffers and empower themselves and their homies, who (in the uk) are all high class snobs who deserve a kick in the crown jewels, like bloody Maggy Thatcher.

 

[immortalfrieza]

American here, and I don't vote. Why would I? Voting on this THREAD accomplishes more than the votes of everyone in the entire U.S.A. combined in every election, and it's ridiculous how many people are blind enough and/or naive enough to believe that their vote has ever made a difference and that it's a check on power when it isn't. The entire political system is designed to ensure the absolute dominance of 2 parties while everybody else doesn't have a chance of getting into office, both far too busy trying to push their own agendas rather than do what would actually be of benefit to this country to actually do much of anything and in the rare cases they're actually able to push that agenda through it always just makes everything worse off than if they hadn't done anything. In particular, it's designed to ensure that people who actually care, people who aren't corrupt to the core, and people that have moderate views that are focused on what would actually work don't even get to the lowest of positions. The only ones who benefit from our political system is the rich and powerful, everybody else gets screwed as royally as they think they can get away with, and trust me they can get away with a LOT.

Why would anyone vote when both realistic options always boil down to "who do you want to bend over and take it from for the next several years?" The very best anyone can hope for in any election for decades now if not always is to choose the one that's going to screw the country over slightly less than the other guy, whoopie. The United States of American political system is broken beyond repair, there's no way in hell it's going to get fixed because the ones that broke it and keep breaking it are the ones that have to repair it, and they have utterly no interest in fixing it. This is what happens when the ones that require oversight and checks on power are the ones that decide whether they are getting oversight and checks on power.

I don't vote and that's why I have the right to complain, I'm one of the ones capable of even seeing how screwed up the system is. Those that are blind and naive enough to believe in the system in any capacity aren't the ones that have the right to complain.

 

[Seraj33]

In my opinion, if you do not vote, you have no right to whine about the results.

 

[mysecondlife]

I'm a legal resident of U.S. Meaning I have a green card.

So I can't vote. There's nothing stopping me from getting a citizenship but I haven't gotten around to it.

 

[freaper]

Yes, we have to in Belgium. I'm not sure whether I'd go if we didn't have to, though.

 

[Kingjackl]

I don't feel like my opinion means much since I'm Australian and have compulsory voting. But still I think it's important, and I feel like people should vote so long as it's a system that allows people some small measure of influence on the current government. For instance, I've known a couple of very liberal Americans who are adamant they won't vote if Bernie Sanders doesn't get the Democrat nomination. And my response to that is "so, you'd rather let the Republicans win"? The answer is inevitably no, so I argue refusal to vote should only be acceptable when neither party is appealing to you, but you also don't think there's a party that should be kept out of government. In other words, when all of the choices are the same. And unless you're living in some fascist junta or tin-pot dictatorship, you're candidates most likely aren't the same.

And that whole "my vote doesn't matter" attitude is needlessly cynical. Yes, individual votes aren't worth much, but a collective vote is, and if you refuse to be part of that process, you have no right to complain when it doesn't go your way.

 

[FirstNameLastName]

I voted in this poll, but in actual elections, no. Considering I'm more or less centrist and am okay with the elected political parties naturally flip-flopping back and forth, there's very little reason for me to intervene. Not that my intervention would change the outcome, anyway, due to my lack of agency in all this. Regardless of how I vote, there will be the same outcome. If the party I wanted to win, wins, then they would have had enough votes to do so despite me. If the party I wanted to win, doesn't win, then they would have failed despite me. While I agree on voting, and think it's a good enough way of running politics, your individual vote does not change the outcome. And before anyone says: "hey, but if everyone thought like that then no one would vote." I agree, if everyone thought like that; but they don't. And if they did, they would do so despite me thinking like that.

And that whole "my vote doesn't matter" attitude is needlessly cynical. Yes, individual votes aren't worth much, but a collective vote is,

Which would be really handy if I controlled the collective vote, but I don't. The collective vote will be functionally identical regardless of my contribution, of lack thereof; I don't have the power to push it any direction

and if you refuse to be part of that process, you have no right to complain when it doesn't go your way.

It will either go your way, or not, regardless of your participation. I'm sorry if people find the truth cynical, but it's no less true because of it.

For the individual, voting is a lot like cheering for your favourite sport team while watching TV.

 

[Dalisclock]

I vote, even research as I fill out the ballot(my state votes by mail). However, I also live in a blue state so it doesn't really matter who I vote for president. I actually give a shit about the primary this year, so that's a change.

Congress is more important anyway, but for the past couple years they've been pretty useless(They can barely pass a budget on time) so doesn't feel like it helps much.

 

[Bat Vader]

I vote but I don't vote for Democrat or Republican. I prefer third parties and would love to see multiple political parties in the USA instead of just the big two. I vote for third parties that I agree with. I may be throwing my vote away but at least neither of the big two are getting it.

 

[Kyrian007]

USA. I have to. I would even if I didn't have to, but since voting records are public record (not who you vote for, but if you showed up to vote) my job "suggests" we vote. Our competitors could (they never do but it's possible) broadcast the fact that we aren't voting if we don't.

I also always know whom I'm voting for, or at least their platform. I do the research beforehand and regardless of party affiliation I vote for who sides with me on the issues I care about, and refuse to vote for people who hammer on issues I think don't matter very much. Again that's not very difficult for me, I've met most of the people on the ballot. I'm a journalist and our station interviews most of them from time to time. I do have problems with how elections work in the US... but sometimes its difficult to complain much when the truth is that campaign ads help pay my salary.

 

[Silvanus]

I truly believe that for things to change and politicians to realise we are fed up with their shit. We need NO ONE to vote. A collective WE ARE SICK OF YOUR BS AND SHALL NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF YOU LYING CHEATING THEIVES".

That's not the message I would take from a significant number not voting (since a significant number already fail to vote). The message I would take is that those people do not care, and make it even easier for the powers-that-be to abuse their position. That's the message the news and parties and majority of people take from that phenomenon, and I can't blame them.

Regardless of how I vote, there will be the same outcome. If the party I wanted to win, wins, then they would have had enough votes to do so despite me. If the party I wanted to win, doesn't win, then they would have failed despite me. While I agree on voting, and think it's a good enough way of running politics, your individual vote does not change the outcome. And before anyone says: "hey, but if everyone thought like that then no one would vote." I agree, if everyone thought like that; but they don't. And if they did, they would do so despite me thinking like that.

This would be a much more valid argument if the selection of the winner was the sole outcome of voting, which, of course, it isn't. The numbers are also used by the parties, think-tanks, fiscal/social institutes and news media for various other purposes, many of which can indirectly affect policy.

Anyway, no, I don't vote. You vote for promises that you know will be broken [...]

Statistically, more manifesto pledges are fulfilled than are reneged on [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/january_february_2012/features/campaign_promises034471.php?page=1].

Still, I'd agree that it makes more sense to base your vote on past actions than on words alone.

I don't vote and that's why I have the right to complain, I'm one of the ones capable of even seeing how screwed up the system is. Those that are blind and naive enough to believe in the system in any capacity aren't the ones that have the right to complain.

And you demonstrate your dissatisfication with the system by... making people think you simply don't care (by not turning up), rather than spoiling your ballot?

 

[Lufia Erim]

I truly believe that for things to change and politicians to realise we are fed up with their shit. We need NO ONE to vote. A collective WE ARE SICK OF YOUR BS AND SHALL NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF YOU LYING CHEATING THEIVES".

That's not the message I would take from a significant number not voting (since a significant number already fail to vote). The message I would take is that those people do not care, and make it even easier for the powers-that-be to abuse their position. That's the message the news and parties and majority of people take from that phenomenon, and I can't blame them.

Regardless of how I vote, there will be the same outcome. If the party I wanted to win, wins, then they would have had enough votes to do so despite me. If the party I wanted to win, doesn't win, then they would have failed despite me. While I agree on voting, and think it's a good enough way of running politics, your individual vote does not change the outcome. And before anyone says: "hey, but if everyone thought like that then no one would vote." I agree, if everyone thought like that; but they don't. And if they did, they would do so despite me thinking like that.

This would be a much more valid argument if the selection of the winner was the sole outcome of voting, which, of course, it isn't. The numbers are also used by the parties, think-tanks, fiscal/social institutes and news media for various other purposes, many of which can indirectly affect policy.

Anyway, no, I don't vote. You vote for promises that you know will be broken [...]

Statistically, more manifesto pledges are fulfilled than are reneged on [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/january_february_2012/features/campaign_promises034471.php?page=1].

Still, I'd agree that it makes more sense to base your vote on past actions than on words alone.

I don't vote and that's why I have the right to complain, I'm one of the ones capable of even seeing how screwed up the system is. Those that are blind and naive enough to believe in the system in any capacity aren't the ones that have the right to complain.

And you demonstrate your dissatisfication with the system by... making people think you simply don't care (by not turning up), rather than spoiling your ballot?

Im actually talking about a 0% participation. Not just a small group of people not going to vote. A collective FU to the government. But like i said, not going to happen. It is ( in my opinion) the only way to bring change.

Now that being said, im canadian. And i do follow the debates , each sides ideas and promises. Basically i stay informed. I still refuse to vote however. We had federal elections literally 2 days ago. And am not ashamed to say i didn't waste my time going to vote.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Yes...though voting is compulsory in Australia. It's also set up so as to not make it difficult for people to vote...as long as they don't vote below the line.

Hahah. Yeah... Nice and simple. That is, until you move back here, have to change a bunch of personal details, and find it nearly impossible to get them changed because you need a 'witness'...

Fairly sure my electoral details are completely wrong now.
Not at all sure which electorate I'm registered under, which address, or even which name, to be quite honest...

 

[Sean Renaud]

Not generally. A lot of the minor local stuff I'm simply not informed enough to make a good decision on. And at the national level I'm a Californian. We go blue, it's what we do. So there isn't much point. Save for in primaries where we at least in theory makd a difference.

Yes, I vote. Mostly for selfish reasons though.

I've heard that in situations where you need something from the government, active voters get a higher priority.

That said, I've scratched on votes that I'm not in any way invested in.

Sorry, Democrats are far to spineless to do that. And honestly up until the Obama admin the Republicans were too honorable to that. We'll see come 2017 if Democrats grew a spine or Republicans learned the difference between right and wrong though.