Poll: Do you vote?

[rgrekejin]

American here. Yes, I do vote. In fact, I'm far *more* likely to vote the lower-down-the-ballot races than the big ticket ones up top. Although my vote for President, Governor, Senator or Representative is almost certainly not going to matter, my vote for who gets to serve on the local School Board could very well make a difference one way or the other. It helps that I'm still registered to vote in my home district, which is a tiny little rural cow town where there aren't all that many voters to begin with, even thought I currently reside in a fairly urban college town (I vote absentee).

Plus, if you like third parties, the best way to help them gain the necessary power and prominence to challenge the Big 2 is to help them win lots of little, local races so they can build up a power base.

 

[Silvanus]

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.

Why on earth would everybody abstain? A significant number of them support the parties running. And abstention of the others just leaves the former group in even more complete control.

We had federal elections literally 2 days ago. And am not ashamed to say i didn't waste my time going to vote.

Fair enough. Your abstention will be chalked up to apathy, rather than a principled stance, of course.

 

[Halla Burrica]

Hell yes do I vote, and I'll vote until my fingers rot and fall off (or I become senile, whichever comes first)! Even if you don't feel like your views are being represented, even if the political system is full of corrupt shit, you have a moral obligation as a citizen to at the very least vote for the nicest vulture. It probably sounds comforting to think that you are "doing the right thing" or being all smart and intellectual by refusing to put a paper in a box at one day in one year, but in all practical sense you are giving away the keys to the kingdom to people who would most definetely not create any meaningful change in the system. Whatever you believe in, by not voting you are giving power to those who don't share your beliefs.
And if it really is nearly hopeless, you should do something goddammit! Become part of some organisation, try and see if you can't improve this political machine. No one's asking you to take on the world, but a little effort can go a long way. I mean that especially to the Americans, you are one of the biggest superpowers in the world and you can't even be bothered to vote? The hell!?

EDIT: Also, I can't help but get a bit irritated with this kind of "If I can't turn the world upside down with my vote, WHAT'S EVEN THE POINT!" attitude. Seriously, that's the very core of democracy, and if you genuinely can't handle being part of a larger community that also has power to change stuff, why do you even bother getting up in the morning? Elections are not about you (the individual), it's about you (the group).

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Yes, I'm always right so I figure the country needs my opinion on things. Everyone else would do better to just stay at home. Doubly so for old people, retirement homes should really bar the doors on polling day for everyone's benefit.

 

[-Dragmire-]

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.

I should have mentioned that I'm Canadian. I could still be wrong though, I've just heard that paperwork tends to move faster for active voters here.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, I vote. (Except a couple of times when I forgot or was busy.)

I'm Australian. Voting is compulsory here. If you don't vote you get a slap-on-the-wrist fine of like $20.

That might seem strange to people from other countries, Americans in particular, but to me it seems strange that you'd let your leaders be chosen by the 40% or so of the population who could be bother dragging their fat arses to a polling station. It's especially strange when people don't vote and then complain nonstop about whoever got into power. Well shit, maybe if all of you complaining had voted for somebody else, things would be different!

Yeah, if you pay taxes, the government is taking a lot more of your time then it takes to vote.

Also, if voting is compulsory, it's hard to prevent people from voting. You've got a least one state in the US that've passed voter ID laws, and then closed places where you can get ID depending on the demographics of the people there. That would not work if everyone had to vote.

(Also, stuff like that is evidence that someone in people thinks your vote is important)

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

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

Hi. American here and I'd like you to meet the reason I do not vote.

Spoiler: Cheers, mate

 

[WolfThomas]

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.

Wow, really? That seems to kind of defeat some of the purpose of voting. Like it would taint the well with a lot of those "uninformed votes" I mentioned. Unless they have a spot of the ballot to abstain. Abstaining is an important choice when it comes to voting.

Compulsory voting poll attendance. No one gives a crap what you do with your slip. You can leave it blank. Write in a different candidate. Scribble a dick on it. Whatever.

It helps stop politicians from neglecting areas where voting is low. There is always the concern of the donkey-voter, someone who puts 1,2,3,4,5 in a line. Meaning the canditate in 1 spot would be at an advantage, but there's ways around that like having non-identical slips.

 

[Loonyyy]

Doesn't vote.

>Voting accomplishes nothing.
>All voting promises are broken.
>All politicians are equally bad.
>Complaining on the internet "does more" than voting.

That's some mighty fine motivated reasoning we have going on.

Call it principle, call it pragmatism, call it whatever. There are definite, obvious choices, and not every single one of them is equally bad. If you are not doing your best to achieve the least worst outcome, then you are a part of the problem, and it turns out it's easier to get you to try to justify it on the internet than actually vote.

It's especially disturbing when voting isn't equally distributed over demographics either. So congratulations! If you don't vote, then the odds are good that you're a part of a demographic that doesn't often vote! Which means that your inaction is contributing to the under-representation of your views! Jesus Christ, at least feel bad about it.

 

[Loonyyy]

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.

Wow, really? That seems to kind of defeat some of the purpose of voting. Like it would taint the well with a lot of those "uninformed votes" I mentioned. Unless they have a spot of the ballot to abstain. Abstaining is an important choice when it comes to voting.

What thaluikhain means by "Voting below the line" is that Australia uses a run-off voting system, not first past the post. You can vote above the line for your local MP, and they're listed by party affiliation for simplicity, and if your candidate doesn't win, the vote runs off to where they distribute their preferences.

If you vote below the line, you list all of your preferences, and distribute your runoff yourself. Which allows you to vote for minority party members and outliers who stand a relatively small chance of being elected, and not contribute to "splitting the vote".

Most Australians are broadly aware of the two main parties, though voting on policy has become... less than popular. Thanks Mr. Murdoch, you lizard-y ************.

 

[sXeth]

Oh I still vote in the national/provincial ones. The local one is kind of hit and miss as half of the "issues" I barely have a opinion on.

The way our goofy Canadian election system works though, my votes are basically as impactful as if I made the ballot into a paper airplane and tried to fly it to the moon. Unless you vote for whoever wins your riding, your vote has no impact on the makeup of parliament. The seat is simply given to the winner and all other votes are disregarded beyond that. Our Green party for instance, had enough national-wide votes to hold 11 seats if concentrated properly, but only actually won in one riding.

 

[Fox12]

I make a token gesture to vote for the libertarian candidate, even though I know we'll lose.

At least that way, when the world comes crashing down, I can say "I told you so" a few moments before the Death Claw eats me.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Always. I always vote. Always.

Employers cannot keep you from the polls by law and getting out to the polling station isn't as huge a hassle as some people keep telling me it is. Both times I've voted on a federal level I've had speedy lines and efficient impartial elections Canada workers take me through the process.

Its easy and not every country can boast to have as peaceful a democracy as my homeland.

 

[Seraj33]

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

Hi. American here and I'd like you to meet the reason I do not vote.

Spoiler: Cheers, mate

I do not know exactly what options you are given when voting in the US. But where I live we are given the option to vote blank. In other words voting that, "I am not pleased with any of the candidates". Instead of sitting silently and not contributing to the democratic society of which we are blessed to have in most first world countries, you can voice your displeasure.

Hence why I think non-voters have no right to complain after the votes are counted, atleast here in Sweden.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

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

Hi. American here and I'd like you to meet the reason I do not vote.

Spoiler: Cheers, mate

I do not know exactly what options you are given when voting in the US. But where I live we are given the option to vote blank. In other words voting that, "I am not pleased with any of the candidates". Instead of sitting silently and not contributing to the democratic society of which we are blessed to have in most first world countries, you can voice your displeasure.

Hence why I think non-voters have no right to complain after the votes are counted, atleast here in Sweden.

Sadly, we do not have that option here in the states. It's usually voting across two parties with the third "Independant" party being relatively useless. The bipartisanship is this government is really atrocious, bordering on needless and utterly stupid. If we had an option like yours, you'd probably soon hear that the United States' voting turnout to suddenly be at a record high, with "blank" having a resounding lead for the reasons Mr. Carlin mentioned in the spoiler. Personally, I think our government has been much like that since John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and doesn't seem to be getting better anytime in the near future.

 

[Auron225]

Never voted for anything remotely political.

Yeah yeah, I'm what's wrong with the system, yadda yadda. I just truly do not give a flying shit who is voted in for what and what they say they'll do and what they'll actually do and these guys will be angry and then they apologise and then it all happens all over again. Its especially bizarre for me given that I'm from NI and we're outright obsessed with politics but maybe its that constant stream of political bullshit which has made me so cynical about it all.

My vote would be uninformed anyhow, given my complete apathy to engage with any of it. I know that I should, but I simply can't.

 

[jklinders]

I have voted at all three levels of government here. Though only once at the city level. When I first moved here I declined to vote at the city level on the grounds that I knew nothing of the issues or the personalities involved. Aside from the office of mayor and broad issues that continues to be the case. I know next to nothing of my Councillor as he seems to be invisible and unremarkable.

I vote provincially more often than not, but I feel that the three viable choices are terrible at the moment.

I just voted federally only 3 days ago. Though in the three elections prior I spoiled my ballot in protest to teh intellect vacuum there.

 

[Chris Moses]

I am voting using a mail-in ballot as I am typing this.

Edit: Just to avoid a low content post... I am an American living in Phoenix, Az, and I try to vote as often as I can.

IMO as long as the GOP has their collective heads up their asses there is no such thing as an uninformed vote. You are either voting for their insanity or against it. Sorry for the opinion it... just... slipped out.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I think i am going to start voting for myself.