To Vote Or Not To Vote

[chrisb26]

I voted today for the first time!

I was excited to be able to vote finally since I wasn't old enough 4 years ago

But I do feel it's important and I do think every vote matters. As others have said if everybody had the thinking that their vote doesn't matter then it really would be a problem.

[TinkerbellT421]

My point about picking up trash was simply that people think they are making a contribution to their country by voting, when really their vote won't count for anything...and there is an opportunity cost associated with the time you spend committed to voting. If you really wanted to help your country or community, the time you spend casting an insignificant vote could be better spent doing other civic-minded things. I don't justify not voting by other things in my life...I was just using this as an example.

Ok, so what your saying is noone should vote, because it wont count. And instead pick up trash around the neighborhood? So therefore if noone votes, and everyone picks up trash, the end result will be that we have no president at all or a really BAD president, but a spotless neighborhood? GRANTED I'm not saying lets vote and not clean our earth...but really....I do not see how one is even related to the other. They are two totally different things for doing the better-good of man-kind...OK yes lets all recycle yada yada....but to say that our person-by-person vote will not count make absolutely no sense at all and basically if one-thousand people use the "mentality" of "my vote does not make a difference"...ultimately in the end yes it does...because one-thousand votes are not counted and therefore could have made all the difference in the end of who would have HELPED our country and not hurt it like well without giving names...the present one...

[TinkerbellT421]

I also wanted to ask the questions of, basically what your saying is, as an American Citizen...we should not have the ability nor privelage to vote, because in the end it means nothing? That is what I am getting out of what your saying....which is just truly appalling to me.

[Pastcastmemberdaughter]

I voted and got my sticker! I'm wearing it with pride. Where else in this world can people say that citizens of their country in the past have fought and died for this right, not very many. Also just think, women haven't even been able to vote for 100 years yet, amazing! I've been given this right and I'm going to use it, YEAH!

[Mackflava99]

I voted and i always vote- otherwise george washington, ben franklin and alot of our forefathers wasted their time...

I went early, there were no lines-
The only issue was some old man walked in while i was voting- everyone screamed for him to stop... i was done so it was no issue

I have never ever seen lines to vote? i would think it would discourage people.


Surprisingll, Ralph Nader was on the ballot again!!

[Mendelson]

Okay, forget the trash example because people seem to be fixated on that.

Also, again, I'm not saying that everybody should eschew voting, not at all. The OP was, if I recall, did you vote and if not, why not. I'm simply saying that as an individual, my vote won't count.

It's a great privelage, important to democracy, the people are the ultimate arbiters of their own fate...I would have it no other way. Thank you, TJ, et al.

Nathan's vote (that's me) will neither put John McCain nor Barack Obama into office, it will not elect my senator, my rep, even my sherrif. If I thought for a second that my vote and my vote alone would elect the president...what stress! (Just like that Kevin Costner movie nobody saw.)

I think I have the history of tens of thousands of elections behind me here. I shouldn't have to defend that 2+2=4. Whereas you are all saying 2+2=4 million because we have the civic responsibility to believe such a thing.

[PirateLover]

I've campaigned for people and then not voted for them, because campaigning can make a big difference, whereas my vote will make no difference.

I'm sorry, but that makes no sense. What is the sense of campaigning if you don't even pull the lever/push the button?

[Dixie Springs]

Voting as a right, not a duty. If there is any 'duty', it's to be an educated voter (and to not take the right for granted). It is by no means a form of community service. ''Service' and 'duty' are what our forefathers and veterans have done already. And I do believe my vote counts! So I guess I'm not in total agreement with the flamers or the flamed - I must be an Independent

[motherof4]

I tried to vote at 700 am the lines were out the door there was no where to park. so I went home went back at 1100 am couldn't get near the place. finally went back at 3 pm and got to vote. I have never seen lines like this for voting.

[J9]

Honestly, I toyed with the idea of not voting this year. I haven't missed an election since I turned 18, but this year for the very first time I decided that I didn't like either of the candidates. Once I got my ballot, I was pretty gosh darn close to writing in Hillary, but then I figured that that would basically be throwing my vote away. In the end, I wound up voting for the candidate I disliked the least.

So - because I pretty much made a last second decision, I can understand how some people would decide not to vote at all in the election. If you feel strongly against both candidates, it makes sense. In the end, though, I do feel its important to cast some vote!

[DizneyRox]

I'm sorry, but that makes no sense. What is the sense of campaigning if you don't even pull the lever/push the button?

And I ask again, WHY DID NEITHER "REAL" CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN IN MY STATE?

The answer to that is why my vote does not count...

[PirateLover]

And I ask again, WHY DID NEITHER "REAL" CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN IN MY STATE?

The answer to that is why my vote does not count...

That is a different issue. The poster said that they themselves have gone out campaigning for people in the past and then did not vote, which just does not make sense to me.

But, to answer your question... what about the other elections? Local and state? What about questions about the budget and city/local charters? School board members? There is a lot more to vote for than President of the United States....

[harlowandthemermaid]

I went at 9am and it was a great time to go......no wait at all. I heard that it was crazy by midday and have heard tales of people fighting with each other in the election lines.
I was bracing myself for long lines and a long painful wait with a toddler, so I was pleasantly suprised.
Wore my sticker all day long and had 2 cups of free Starbucks coffee
WE also had a vote for slots on the bill today so I am interested to see how that comes out as well.

[J9]

WE also had a vote for slots on the bill today so I am interested to see how that comes out as well.

We had a question about whether the Mayor could take over our park system. I'm actually more nervous about this than the Presidential election. I'm hoping our park is safe from having the Mayor take it over and sell it off!!!

[MauiMouse]

I also voted early this morning, there was only one person in front of me in our precinct. I always vote.

[Mad About Mickey]

I went this morning at 6 am, no line and a nice start to what was a beautiful fall day up here in New England. I really enjoy Election Day, all the supporters waving and holding signs at polling places and street corners, followed by a night of watching the results on television. Its like the Super Bowl for those of us who like to follow politics .

[Tinkermom]

[QUOTE=Mendelson;1775511].

I've campaigned for people and then not voted for them, because campaigning can make a big difference, whereas my vote will make no difference.

QUOTE]

So you campaigned for people in the hopes that folks would vote for your candidate but you do not believe that a person's vote counts??? I am sorry my friend that makes no sense IMO.

This morning on the TODAY show they talked about previous presidential elections specifically related to weather. One study showed that the weather affects how many people come out to vote. Specifically rain/bad weather keeps people home. In the 2000 election west Florida had rain and it was estimated that 100,000 democrats did not vote and that if they had Al Gore could very possibly have won Florida and therefore the presidency. 100,000 is NOT that many people relatively speaking. So to say that one vote does not count? I disagree!

[Kenny1113]

I wasn't going to vote because I have been feeling pretty jaded towards politics with all the corruption and what not. I did however vote because too many people fought hard for us to have that right and it's what makes us different from some other countries.

[LauraleeH]

It would have been my first year to vote, except I didn't register in time. The dates were apparently mixed up and when I went to register, it was too late. I can always register next time. I did a lot of research and did a lot of talking to my friends and family, so they will be informed. I think a lot of my friends that were voting for the first time were definitely misinformed and were going to vote just because. I don't believe in that. I believe you should know why you are voting and who you are voting for. Like I told them, if you're voting just because you can, but don't put any time or effort into it, then save your vote for American Idol.

[Pastcastmemberdaughter]

WE also had a vote for slots on the bill today so I am interested to see how that comes out as well.

Yeah I'm interested to see how this turns out and the voting early law as well. Both I think were good issues to bring up, IMHO.