Why I Still Don’t Vote. . . Sometimes

The piece I am going to share with you today, is actually an article I wrote 4 years ago. With the Presidential election a little over a week away, I am feeling a little embarrassed that I have given it so little bit of thought.  But the truth is, I could care less and I know that by admitting this publicly, I am opening myself up to ridicule and shame. However, I suspect I am not the only one who feels this way which is why I am publicly outing myself as a non-voting American.

I have resisted the urge to edit this article, even though 4 years later, some of my opinions have changed. So, please feel to call me out, ask me questions. I will try to respond to each and every one of you. Okay, here we go . . .

If you walk up to a stranger today and tell them that you chose not to vote in the primary elections being held across the Unites States today and the next few days, chances are you would get this response, “Well, if you don’t vote then you have no room to complain.” People may phrase the response differently, but the sentiment is the same.

Standing in line at a local department store this morning I heard one associate say this exact same thing to a co-worker and judging by how young the non-voter was – she probably believes this. She probably believes that choosing not to vote means choosing to be silent.

Well, I rarely vote. I abstain from the electoral process not because I am lazy or disinterested, but because I am frustrated. In addition, I admit to grumbling to friends and family often about how horrible our political situation is in this country.

So, why do I choose not to vote? The raw truth is that I find politics to be impersonal and true results unattainable. Funny, because everyday bills are introduced and discussed that are very personal to the American people. Issues such as healthcare, social security, national security and education are just some of the concerns that our government addresses on a daily basis. Why, you ask, do I feel that politics is so impersonal?

We can vote people into an office to basically fight for a belief that we have. But after we have cast our vote for that representative or that senator, the situation is out of our hands. The average person is not a lobbyist that can bombard Congress with money and promises. The only thing the average person has to offer is faith in those we vote for.

Politics is impersonal because although our benefits and our welfare rely on the government working for the people, we see our hopes shot down by Presidential vetoes and stone-walling in Congress.

The politicians that we held so much faith in become immersed in the deep-waters of party affiliation and partisan agendas that bolster political resumes, but do little for the people that these politicians claim to be serving.

In addition to the distant relationship the general American population has with politicians, there are also the cliques. Everyone has experienced cliques at some point in their lives. If you didn’t belong to one of these cliques then you floated around, peacefully perhaps, but not belonging at the same time.

Our government has these cliques, too. They are called the Democrats and the Republicans. If your ideals do not live up to the party standards then you become ostracized and unable to move amongst the partisan factions that decide our laws.

I hate being categorized. I hate feeling like I am a key that can only fit in one hole. Generally, I hold the categorized ideals of the Democrats. However, I will and have supported Republican candidates.

I look at situations individually. I look at candidates individually. I am confident that most of the American people do to. We just have a hard time executing that when we are told to vote based on our party affiliations such as in the primary elections when you pick a certain color ballot that is suppose to symbolize your truest intentions. While I do have a certain person that I want to win the Presidency, I would love the opportunity to pick a person from both parties whom I think would do a decent job as our president and make the race a little more interesting.

Now, that I have ranted and raved about why I detest voting, I have a confession. I am the proud owner of an I Voted sticker. I braved the torrential thunderstorms in Missouri today to cast my vote.

Why did I vote? For once, I believe we have some good candidates that will make our country whole, complete and bring about a change that many claim to be looking for. The candidates that are running, Republican and Democrats, are actually giving America something more diverse than in the past elections.

When I say diverse, I am not referring to gender or race. I am referring to personal styles when it comes to approaching issues. There are candidates that are more modern and progressive. There are candidates that are more traditional and firm. No matter what, they are offering something that people can embrace that cross the partisan lines that are so frequently drawn during political elections.

I voted today because today politics didn’t feel so impersonal. Today these candidates made me want to put my faith into a government system that many countries wish they could emulate in their own governments – Democracy, a government by the people.

No matter who wins the primaries and the nomination, no matter who wins the Presidency, this election will be the first time that I have been excited about being a part of our government. Voting is a right, but that doesn’t mean one should cast their vote lightly. People need to really believe in what they are voting for. Today I believed and confidently made my vote count.