Statistically there's no point in me voting. I'm in a 90% dominated (R) area. So I won't be and I encourage others to do the same.<p>Democracy is real, but a state which is two party FPTP is only barely within the definition. It is set up so there is no legitimate third choice, and even if there was they would have no power to accomplish anything anyway.<p>Whatever we currently have exists to make us feel like we have just enough choice to keep us quiet and passive, "wait for the next election" they say, "you can change things" they lie, but statistically almost nobody in the country has the power to perform real change (less than 10% of states, and even in those states only a relatively small swing-district minority).<p>Go vote, but you've fallen into their trap. The trap of believing that US "democracy" isn't fundamentally broken/useless. Until the baby boomers and older literally die off the whole thing has no purpose at all (unless you happen to be in the 1% of voters that matter).
"I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating." - Boss Tweed quoted recently by Lawrence Lessig<p>While I believe the above statement is fundamentally true I"m still going to vote. For me personally, I think I'm doing that as a some sort of ritual to hold onto my belief in democracy even though I recognize that our current system is badly broken.
I already voted early, the apathy and boasting about not voting going on here is the exact reason our politicians such fucking idiots.<p>People complain that the baby boomers control politics but that's because they are the only ones that show up to vote so their interests are met.<p>By not voting you are just giving a louder voice to those that do. Not voting as a form of protest does not exclude you from the laws that are passed by the people voted in by those that did.<p>I'm real fucking sick of the deafest and general negativity here on HN.
"If voting changed anything, it would be illegal."<p>Yes, I'll be voting today, but primarily because there are some contentious local candidates and local issues. Like most voters I'm pretty disillusioned by the state of politics at the state and federal levels.<p>I'm starting to think of low voter turnouts as a quiet protest against a broken and corrupt political process, and seen that way, I really can't in good conscience encourage anyone else to vote.
Yes, I'm voting. (Minnesota, 2nd district) I think voting is the bare minimum. The real important part is to get involved in primary races to help shape who the candidates will be. People are always bitching about the candidates, but don't participate in choosing them. Be politically active, not just on election day, but all year!
I don't vote as protest that our first past the post election system doesn't accurately represent the will of the people as well as other voting schemes.
I recently phone banked for my party for the first time and found that the voter rolls the party was working from had age, gender, race, and how many out of the previous 3 elections the voter had actually shown up to the polls.<p>It is no wonder that politicians ignore issues affecting of young people: they know for a fact that they don't vote in large numbers.<p>I voted today. I have always voted since I was of age. I get discouraged living in Florida and having my vote drowned in a sea of geriatrics. But I recognize that participating is the only way to affect change.
Yes, I will be voting. I live in south-east Michigan.<p>I will be voting because although my vote is statistically insignificant for the larger elections, it carries more weight for local elections.<p>To the people that say "Don't vote, it's a broken system", I say why not go an write in NOBODY. Do <i>something</i>, because nobody sees <i>not voting</i> as any kind of protest. It's lazy, and you'll never change anything at all by staying home.
Tuscaloosa, AL. I live in Alabama full time because I go to school here and work here during the summers, and have for two years. Technically, though, I'm a resident of Louisiana.<p>I registered to vote in Tuscaloosa in the last presidential election, because I was told I could. Since then, Alabama has passed voter ID laws, and because I don't possess an Alabama photo ID (my driver's license is from Louisiana), I can't vote in Alabama.<p>I can't vote in Louisiana because I'm not registered there, and even if I was, I don't know anything about the candidates or have any stake in the election there.
I don't agree with Doug Casey on a lot of stuff, but his five reasons not to vote are pretty funny and an excellent foil to the constant & unexamined appeals that we vote:<p><a href="http://www.caseyresearch.com/articles/doug-caseys-top-five-reasons-not-vote" rel="nofollow">http://www.caseyresearch.com/articles/doug-caseys-top-five-r...</a>
I voted (and will continue to vote) in every election since I was old enough - didn't matter how big or small. I always look at it as you don't vote you don't have the right to bitch about things :).
No, for several reasons.<p>The congressional election in my district is essentially a foregone conclusion and since our voting system is winner-take-all there is really no point in voting for the opposition. I also happen to think both candidates are unqualified to represent themselves, much less a state.<p>My state has judicial elections as well, which might be worth voting in if any of the candidates were less despicable. Some of their ads are Onion-worthy. All judicial candidates I've seen have breathlessly tried to one-up their opponents by being "tougher on crime" while glossing over thier utter disregard for the either the federal or state Constitutions. It's made me wonder if defense attorneys can even pursue a judicial career in a place like this.<p>Some have made the argument that not voting is also equivalent to a vote of no confidence in the available candidates and/or system as a whole. I kind of agree with this, but doubt that such a protest is really effective.<p>One of the few things our highly divided political factions do agree on is that everyone should vote. Preferably for their party, but at least vote for someone. Depending on your perspective, this is either evidence that voting is such an obviously good thing which everyone should do regardless of their circumstances, or (if you are less trusting of their stated motivations) an attempt to ensure their own legitimacy. In a way, each vote that isn't cast is a vote against all the candidates, so the idea that someone would not vote is equally offensive to our political factions regardless of what side of the aisle they sit on. Since I happen to think that many of these individuals do not deserve their present positions, and the candidates their respective caucases and donors have promoted to replace them are no better, not voting is the most natural expression of my opinion "you are all unqualified."<p>Basically, the marginal value of spending my time not voting (e.g. working, reading, even writing about why I don't see a point in voting in this election) far exceeds the expected return on that same time should I spend it voting. I suspect it's the same for many people. Most arguments to the contrary appeal to various theoretical notions or idealistic purposes/side effects of voting, which to me just sounds like "you should vote because it will make you feel good." If it makes you feel good, then go ahead. Some people like to feel like they're participating. I prefer to <i>know</i> that I'm impacting the decisions that get made in my state in a positive way, and I don't consider selecting the lesser of two evils to meet that requirement.