Voting

[East]

As November approaches.....I find myself comtemplating what was once unthinkable for me.....

...not bothering to vote! I get a little sick even saying it out loud.

My fear...I am afraid of crossing the bridge to apathy land and I don't know if anyone ever returns....

I do feel like not voting is a slap in the face to the people who have fought hard to defend our right to do so...and I also feel like if I don't vote I will lose my right to complain about anything political or even THINK ABOUT complaining when I didn't raise a finger to do something when I had a chance....UGH UGH UGH ARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...

So...do you always vote? Why or why not?

Bigger question....have you ever been TEMPORARILY apathetic and later returned from the dead?

[CellarDweller]

I always vote because people fought hard for the right to vote.

Besides, are you going to leave the votes to others?

[Lexington]

I've always voted. I HAVE skipped voting for specific ballot measures, when I felt I truly didn't understand the issue.

My very first election was in 1986, and I went to vote with my brother. While waiting in line, we noticed a neighbor named Russell standing several people in front of us. When I got to the voting booth, there was one particular campaign where somebody was running unopposed...and I really didn't like that person. So, just so I wouldn't vote for him, I pressed the "write-in candidate" button, and wrote in Russell's name.

On the way home, I told my brother what I had done, and he said "Really?! That's what *I* did, too!" So Russell got two votes for county commissioner, or whatever the heck that office was.

Since then, whenever I run into an election where I don't like my choices, Russell get written in. My brother does the same.

Lex

[spilovn]

I will be voting UKIP (the UK independence party)

[Borg69]

I don't vote. No matter who wins, we lose. They're all liars, cheats, back stabbers, self serving, arrogant power mongers with delusions of grandeur. Name one that has actually done what they promised.

IMO voting is like choosing between the options of self castration or self lobotomy with a plastic spoon.

[LJay]

Yes, I vote. I take it seriously, too. It is a responsibility and a duty. I consider it the most basic act of democracy. True, we elect some idiots and I often think that we would elect fewer idiots if more people voted.

Voting takes very little time. It is not that hard to prepare these days by doing a bit of internet research, reading and listening to the news, and talking to the neighbors.

if you are one of those people who thinks that voting is pointless, try it for a year or so. Chances are there will only be one or two elections. Still, you will be amazed how much more you will be aware of what is going on. Simple, powerful stuff.

[CuriousPhoenix]

I always try and vote. When I was sixteen I really wanted to vote in that presidential election but sadly I was too young. Since then I have always tried to get to the polls on election day. Sometimes I don't vote in the primary but in the general always there. I don't think I've missed an election, maybe one in college when I was voting in Stillwater.

The problem in Oklahoma right now is that it's not a very good thing to be a democrat because of President Obama. We learned its not always good to vote straight republican, we elected a dentist for the head of our Education Department. She didn't even win the primary this time around.

Also in Oklahoma, you don't get very liberal democrats, you get conservative democrats that are really just republicans but with the wrong name. Not saying that all our democrats are conservative but for the most part they are.

One sad part about the election promise in Oklahoma is that if a candidate gets support from the right football legend they get elected, because a majority of Oklahomans are OU fans since they are the better instate team. Our last Governor, Brad Henry, got support from Barry Switzer, one of the greatest OU Coaches, and this support pushed him to victory. What does it say about a state, where college football support gets you elected.

Also if you don't vote, you cannot complain about the government. The way we can change the government is by voting in the people we want, even if we don't necessarily like them, we send a message to the rest.

[Rareboy]

Always vote. Even if you go and do a write-in....or spoil your ballot with a protest vote.

[palbert]

I go to vote against the forces of evil and darkness.

[Elijoan]

I vote when I can, which currently excludes primary elections in my state because I'm registered as a Libertarian. I vote for the reasons others here have stated. It can be discouraging and distasteful when I don't like the choices, or when I know my choice doesn't have a chance of winning, but I still do it.

As for a vote not mattering -- a friend lost a local election last term by only 40 votes.