For those of you able to vote and do not, I'm curious as to why you don't. Apathetic? Votes don't count?

Question

No one will judge you here--I'm seriously wondering why some people don't vote at all, especially when there are such important issues facing all of you/us. Your answers don't need to come down to Libs vs. Cons if you don't want--I just find it very unsettling that more people voted for the last American Idol than have EVER voted in a presidential election! So I'm just conducting a Yahoo! Answers survey.

Answer 1

I don't vote. In the words of Judge Learned Hand, in his famous book, "The Bill of Rights," ...

"Each one of us must in the end choose for himself how far he would like to leave our collective fate to the wayward vagaries of popular assemblies. No one can fail to recognize the perils to which the last forty years have exposed such governments. ... For myself, it would be most irksome to be ruled by a bevy of Platonic Guardians, even if I knew how to choose them, which I assuredly do not. If they were in charge, I should miss the stimulus of living in a society where I have, at least theoretically, some part in the direction of public affairs. Of course I know how illusory would be the belief that my vote determined anything; but nevertheless when I go to the polls I have a satisfaction in the sense that we are all engaged in a common venture."

The U.S. Supreme Court is behaving like a bevy of Platonic Guardians. They steal elections and flush the people's moral values down the toilet. They have robbed from me the reason for voting -- that "satisafaction ... that we are all engaged in a common venture."

Answer 2

I always try to vote and let my opinion be known. I've always thought that voting was picking the lesser of two evils when voting for Democrats or Republicans which is why I now vote Libertarian. (Not to be confused with Liberals). A Libertarian candidate may be a long shot, but I feel better knowing I'm not voting for the others. I don't think of it as a wasted vote, at least I'm cancelling some other persons vote out.

Answer 3

Votes don't count very much -- take a good look at some fine quality gerrymandering (illegal!) around the country. Oh, and don't forget about that 92% re-election rate for the federal senate.
Civic responsibility really doesn't have as much to do with voting as people think. Our federal congressional representatives should only spend 2-3 months in Washington and should be in their home states dialoguing with the people in town meetings. The press should be free and open to debate, not sensationalist propaganda to sell newspapers (cf Madison, Jefferson, et al about that)
More importantly, before you are quick to criticize those who don't vote, remember that those wacky fellows who wrote the Constitution were very uneasy about extending suffrage to the population. It was Thomas Jefferson who said that if people were going to be allowed to vote and participate in democracy, they needed to be educated. Not about election day politics, but in history, philosophy, etc., in a public school setting. In our schools are we promoting the values of democracy? Are students critically analyzing how the government works? QUICK!! What do the first five amendments of the constitution say? (No cheating!)
I don't vote in anything -- not American Idol, primaries, ridiculous state referendums that mismatch with federal laws, etc. In my city our voters recently passed a law that legalized possession small quantities of marijuana. Our state supreme court and the federal supreme court have both ruled marijuana cannot be legalized (because the Supreme Court will never legalize a drug that is smoked because it is difficult to regulate the levels of intake and so the FDA won't approve it). So the local law passed only to be overturned by the state supreme court in an emergency session that cost an enormous amount of money. Thank God everyone turned out and voted!!

Answer 4

it is a very valid question. and it is nice to see something more important than, do you like my avatar?... : )
anyway to answer you question i did vote. in the years past though i can honestly say that i have not. and my reason might be different than what you may hear.
i was in a religion that did not encourage you to put your trust in the government. i have since then dropped that ideology.
so from now on, i do plan to make my choice heard.
i find it disturbing as well, that more people are interested in American idol, rather than American life.

Answer 5

Some people shouldn't vote, they don't have the political knowledge to make an educated decision. Their thinking boils down to: "EWW I HAET HIS HAIR GIRL U KNO IM GONNA VOTE 4 TEH OTHER GUY, HES CUTE." This society is much closer to the ideas expressed in Fahrenheit 451 than anyone imagines.

Answer 6

I would be interested to know how much complaining about the government the ones who don't vote do. Personally, if you don't vote you shouldn't complain.


His Divine Shadow, you are what is wrong with this world. You complain about everything but do nothing to change the situation. How exactly are you helping society?

Answer 7

Chris's comment has to be one of the most ignorant I have ever seen here. I don't usually vote because I am lazy and it doesn't affect me. When the circumstances have been different, I have voted and got nothing for it (I live in California, go figure).