Opinion: Suffrage, Not Suffering

By Amanda Mitchell
December 13, 2008 

Every vote counts! We hear these words every single election, especially in presidential elections.  However, if every vote counts, then why do so many people choose not to exercise the duty?

Are civil duties not important anymore in our current society? Our civil duties are always important; it's what makes our democracy efficient and loved by people who don't have the privilege.

However, almost every election involves less than or about half of the eligible voters who come out and vote, even if it is a big election.  In other countries that have government systems similar to ours, almost 95% of voters turn out.  These turnouts that are talked about are just national elections local and state election turnouts are the worst!

It's hard to have sympathy for people who complain about how things are being run when they won't practice a civil duty that is simple and available.  It's one thing to vote and then complain about the person in office, especially if the person isn't the one someone voted for. But it's another when one just complains without having taken action. 

The local and state elections will have more direct effect on individual citizens and most people have issues with how their local or state officials are conducting business.  So why not pick who they wanted?

The reasons are abundant.  There are more reasons for not voting than for voting, but a lot of times it could just be a cop-out.  If people care about their government, or care about how their taxes are spent or where their money goes, then voting is someone's way of making the difference in how and where the money will go. 

Currently there's an economic crisis and the people who were involved earlier, currently, and in the future are elected officials.  Therefore, the active voters chose these people and these people are going to make a decision very soon that will effect everyone, whether one believes it or not.

Voting becomes a cycle.  Depending on the outcome of the economic bailout, officials may or may not have their seat back. The non-voters are going to, just maybe, get out and vote for someone different because they may have lost their house, or can't get a loan, or are tired of paying $5 for a gallon of milk.  Or they'll still sit around the office or home and complain and wonder why there still isn't any change and if the country is "going down the drain."

Just as when someone is in a team at work or in classes, if something needs to get done, someone has to do it.  There may be reasons why votes don't count, but it's always better to stand up and do than to sit back and watch someone else do the work.  The person who voted doesn't have the same ideals and values as the next, so why would someone want them to make decisions for them. 

Voting isn't about the right or wrong choice of candidate; it's about having a choice and exercising it.  We choose what we wear, where we go and what we eat every day, so why don't we choose our elected officials on the local, state and national level.  Government and policy affect us in all ways on a daily basis, but most of the time we don't realize it. 

Therefore, take a second and think about what is important for the next year, two years or four years.  Then think about how to register or fill out the application for an absentee ballot before it's too late. Our ancestors didn't fight for us to vote just for us to forget about it later.