Odd-year elections don't have the same 'oomph' as even-year elections do; after all, the even years are when we deal with the bulk of the national stuff, so there's more media interest, advertiser interest, and often, more voter interest. But these odd-year elections are probably more directly important, because this is when many of us get to pick our school board members, mayors, town board members, city councilors, judges, and probably even a dog-catcher or two.
Depending on where you live, you could be asked to vote for or against a woman's right to choose, raising (or reducing) taxes, limiting the influence of foreign money on local elections, figuring out what to do about marijuana, shrinking the size of state or local governments, and more. Be sure to #TurnItOver if needed - often ballot initiatives are on the back.
All of that stuff matters - maybe not immediately, and maybe not to you personally, but to your neighbors, your co-workers, your friends, your children and grandchildren... It all matters, to someone - if it didn't, it wouldn't be on the ballot.
As I've noted in the past, we have lots of problems and they're not simple to solve.
...it’s going to take more than voting, too. Voting is just the first step; after that, we have the power to hold elected officials accountable, and the responsibility to do just that.
If you're an early voter and have already done your civic duty, thank you. If you're not going to be around on Election Day and voted by absentee ballot, thank you. If you got an absentee ballot and haven't turned it in yet, be sure you get it in before the deadline! And if you're planning on voting the old-fashioned way - showing up at your polling place on Election Day, like I do, thank you. We simply can't continue to allow the people who don't vote to dictate what happens to the rest of us.
As I do every year, I offer the following motivation, in case you're still on the fence about voting.
After some thought, “I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians." (1) Actually, “The idea of an election is much more interesting to me than the election itself…the act of voting is in itself the defining moment.”(2) And why is it that “When the political columnists say ‘every thinking man’ they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to ‘every intelligent voter’ they mean everyone who is going to vote for them”?(3)
We know it’s true that “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who didn’t vote”(4), and that “A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won’t cross the street to vote in a national election.”(5) Do we still not realize, after all these years, that “lower voter participation is a silent threat to our democracy… it under-represents young people, the poor, the disabled, those with little education, minorities and you and me”? (6)
After all, “the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men” (7) and “to make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not just observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” (8)
And complain we do, after every election when 'the wrong guy' wins. If the only people who complained were the ones who voted, it’d likely be a lot less noisy, don't you think?
Some folks may not vote because they don't know how to decide who to vote for, or they're afraid they'll vote 'wrong.' There are a couple different schools of thought on that. On the one hand, some might think that
“politics is the art of the possible” (9) while others may subscribe to the thinking that “politics is not the art of the possible, it consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. And it is true that the great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter the chance to do something stupid.” (10)
Said another way, a “Vote (is) the instrument and symbol of a freeman’s power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.” (11) But that’s OK – “personally, I believe that our American system works as long as you participate in it. You must vote and make your voice heard; otherwise you will be left out.” (12)
I like that part, about our system working as long as people participate. If enough people vote - and vote every time they have the chance to - sooner or later, the people running for office will have to pay attention to us, not just to their donors.
It’s generally true that if you “ask a man which way he’s going to vote and he’ll probably tell you. Ask him, however, why – and vagueness is all.” (13) But voting’s really easy; and “all voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong.” (14) And just about everyone likes to play a game every now and then, right?
The bottom line is, “voting is simply a way of determining which side is the stronger without putting it to the test of fighting;”(15) “voting is a civic sacrament;”(16) and “the future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”(17)
And remember, if all of that seems like too much pressure, you have an out.
“Vote for the man who promises least. He’ll be the least disappointing.” (18)
