US election

[azziria]

As someone who lives in a small country with only one time zone I find it odd to think that it's possible that someone in Hawaii could know the outcome of the Presidential election before they've even voted in it.

I've voted in every General Election (General Elections are for the national government, as opposed to Local Elections which are for County or Parish council members) since I turned 18 and became eligible to vote. Voting isn't compulsory here (unlike in countries such as Belgium and Australia) but I believe strongly that if you have a vote, you should exercise it. Even if you don't agree with any of the options presented to you, go along and register your protest by spoiling your ballot paper. After all, if you can't even be bothered to turn out and vote, what right do you have to complain about who gets elected?

Where I currently live my vote counts for almost nothing - although we are close to the city, our village falls within a large rural constituency that is overwhelmingly right-wing and Conservative while my politics are quite a long way to the left of centre - but I still turn out and vote. It's my right, and my duty, and it's *important*. And if I don't like what my MP (Member of Parliament) is doing I can take him to task for it with a clear conscience, because even though I didn't vote for him, I did take the time and make the effort to go out and cast my vote.

So please, please, if you have a vote this Tuesday, and whatever your politics, go out and cast it (if you haven't already). Be part of what's being decided for your country, not just a passive onlooker.

Comments

[kapuahi.livejournal.com]

In Australia it's compulsory to vote. But even if it wasn't I'd still be out voting. The way I see it if you don't like the way your country is being run, don't bitch about it if you didn't participate in trying to change it. Even if your particular choice doesn't win at the very least you can say that you weren't apathetic and you did your bit to try and generate change.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

My feelings exactly :)

[kare.livejournal.com]

I turned 18 (our voting age) two weeks before the election, so I was able to vote four years earlier than most folks in my class at school. I've been voting ever since!

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I was either 18 or 19 the first time I voted, I don't remember exactly. But I do remember that I went to the polling station with my father, and it makes me glad to know that my parents considered it as important as I do :)

[sans-souci2.livejournal.com]

YES- well said!!!!

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I feel strongly about this :)

[stellarmeadow.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank you! I went out and registered to vote the day after my 18th birthday (my birthday was a Sunday or I'd have been there on the day) even though it was February and the next election wasn't for 9 months.

Until the 2008 election, my vote has, effectively, never counted because I lived in a Republican state and our electoral votes always went to the Republicans, even though I voted Democrat, but I voted anyway. I voted, I canvassed, I called, I donated...and in 2008, it paid off, when my state went Democrat for the first time in 48 years.

In 2000, the entire US election came down to just over 500 votes in Florida (and was then awarded to the loser because he bullied the system, which our entire country has paid for ever since, but that's another story). Anyone who says voting doesn't matter should ask those 500 people. Or more importantly, ask the thousands of Democrats in Florida who didn't go the polls when their votes would've saved the country from the nightmare that ensued.

*ahem* I get a little worked up about this, can you tell? It just kills me to see people risking their lives to vote in other countries, and we are just so blase about it. And most of our country doesn't bother to inform themselves, either, but that's a WHOLE other can of worms...

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I am always horrified and depressed by the number of people who don't bother to vote here in the UK.

Here in the UK every household gets a registration form once a year (usually late Fall/early Winter) to fill in to confirm how many (and which) registered voters live at an address (we can also register any time during the year, but most people do it when they get the reminder). Even though the voting age is 18, we have to register anyone in the house who is 16 or over. Which means that this time next year we'll be registering DS on the electoral register (and how old does that make me feel???), even though he won't get to vote for a while.

There has been some discussion here recently about changing the law to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote - at first thought it seems like a bad idea, but the fact is that any 16 or 17 year old still in full-time education (which most are these days) is attending compulsory citizenship classes, which almost certainly means that they would be better-informed about the issues than very many older voters.

[linaelyn.livejournal.com]

I love what you wrote here. Perfectly put.

This Tuesday will be the first presidential election we've had with EK old enough to vote. We've spent about half of our family dinner conversations for the past two weeks discussing ballot propositions (Should we raise the sales tax 1/8%? Restructure the water district board? Should genetically modified foods be labeled as such, or is this particular law badly-written?) I noted that this might be getting too boring for YK (still not voting age).

Her response was this: "You and Dad have done this every election, my entire life! The only part that's different is [EK] is adding her strong opinions to the discussion. My turn to agree or disagree with you will come soon enough. I'm just still at the listening age."

My struggle in this election: With California's electoral votes a virtual shoe-in for Obama, should I vote my real political values and give the Green candidate, Jill Stein, my vote for President? The Left Lives!!! but I'm also wanting to support the President who got rid of Don't ask, don't tell and said he personally supports same sex marriage. Also, Obamacare! W00T!!! But he doesn't go far enough, on so many issues.

One thing's for sure. Casa Telcontar-Longshanks will be at the polls, no matter what.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I feel very strongly about this!

DS will go on the electoral register this time next year, although he won't be eligible to vote until he's 18. There is a movement here to give the vote to 16-17-year-olds, which sounds a bit much until you realise that all 16- or 17-year-olds still in full-time education (which most are these days) are attending compulsory citizenship classes, which almost certainly means that they would be better-informed about the issues than very many older voters. Certainly I'm convinced that DS would make a very mature and informed choice if he had the vote this time next year. It does seem a bit wrong that you can marry and put your life on the line as part of the armed forces (with parental consent, admittedly, but still...) when you still can't have a say in how your country is run (although I could say that the age for these things should be raised to 18 rather than the voting age dropped to 16...).

As for the Green vote, I've voted that way before now. Given that my vote in this constituency won't change anything, I've often used my vote to state my support for Green issues.

[davierose.livejournal.com]

Well said!!! My husband and I always get in line before the polls open on election day---here in Missouri they open at 6--so tomorrow morning will come too early after staying up to watch H5-0! But that is OK! But I agree will all you say---very well said!!!!!