Voting out of Obligation is Worse Than Not Voting at All.
Many people vote simply because they believe it is their civic duty. Voting is not, contrary to what many believe, a Constitutional right. It is a privilege and as such should be treated with great respect. But to vote simply because you feel obligated, regardless of whether you really support the choices makes a sham out of the process. It also does something worse. Whichever candidate you end up voting for, even if it was a halfhearted support you cast that vote, that candidate, if he or she wins, will claim to have your support and will use every vote as proof of a mandate for whatever policies and actions they undertake.
How much more powerful might it be, if voters who were truly fed up with the process and not pleased with the choices simply refused to vote – almost like a protest vote? What would happen if the next president came into office with only 5 or 10% of eligible voters? How much of a mandate could that person claim, and wouldn’t they be forced to compromise more, look for consensus, citizen support for initiatives, and even possibly, wouldn’t alternative candidates be emboldened and possibly even the two major parties humbled to the point where they might let mainstream voters have more power in the process?
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If people believe they have a duty to vote it's a good thing. Why should be duties be regarded as burdens?
M. Glass
My vote might matter. I agree that voting is a privilege. Unfortunately too many Americans who have been born here and whose parents have been born here have become blasé. I am the American-born child of a parent who came here from another country looking for a better world and therefore I may have a different perspective than many.
Yes, our system definitely needs changing from the Electoral College to an individual vote. Perhaps many other political changes should be made to our system as well. However, in the meantime, this is the system we currently have. If we don’t like the system, we should do whatever it takes to make changes. Since we have this privilege to vote secretly, it should be regarded as a privilege which should be cherished and not wasted.
I look at it this way. It is not really a major hardship to go out and vote. So – why not just do it? Hopefully, my vote will count. But - if I don’t go out and vote – then …………………………..