It won’t make a difference.
The system’s rigged.
I don’t like either candidate.
Why bother?
It’s too much trouble.
It’s too much of a hassle.
My vote won’t count anyway …
The reasons are endless.
The reality is, as soon as you choose not to vote, the reason is you. The system, run by humans and their astonishing ability to be flawed, isn’t perfect. But we still need to participate.
And I don’t mean blindly voting along party lines. I mean understanding who those people are, and what they stand for. From the top spot to the smallest local election.
When I started really diving into the people on my ballot, the real humans, their backgrounds, their affiliations, their donor base – yep, even their social media feeds, which can be eye-opening – my choice became much easier.
Ballotpedia is a great tool for that. Just enter the address where you are registered to vote, and you can find your ballot for any upcoming elections.
Yep, it takes a bit of time to do this research. But it will take a whole lot more than time to dig this country out of the current mess we have created for ourselves.
In our country’s history, a vote was precious and hard-earned thing. For women, it was harder still. Now, all you have to do to earn the right to vote is turn 18. For now.
Think of your right to vote like a muscle … if you don’t exercise it, frequently, you could lose it.
We are heading into the Independence Day weekend … one way to celebrate? Register to vote. (Not sure how? Message me for info. I’m a volunteer poll working in my home county and can help you find the info you need. And no, I don’t care who you vote for, as long as you do your homework and understand what they stand for.)
Oh, and are you registered to vote? Check at Vote.org.