It was a lovely day, but EVERY day that there's an election, I remember a conversation from many years ago.
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It was a cold November day, with light rain, sometimes sleet, falling.
I was working for The City, finishing up a Fire Prevention inspection at a grocery store near 76th & Silver Spring, across from the Public Housing.
People who -by themselves- couldn't get to the polling place, the Senior Center, which was across the street from the grocery, could call, and get a free shuttle bus to and from.
I mentioned to the manager of the store that I had heard on the radio that there was expected to be a LOW turnout, since
1. It wasn't a PRESIDENTIAL year for voting, and
2. It was rotten weather.
He replied
"I walked through a MINE FIELD to get out of Hungary, and come here to be a citizen. It will take a lot more than a little RAIN to keep me from voting!"
And I was ashamed of all my local-born neighbors, who didn't treasure the right enough to bother doing it.
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I agree with him! It would take more than a little bad weather to stop me from voting.
Now, if we can talk about voting without mentioning politicians or politics, okay. If not.... it's locked.
My "election" tales (?) probably qualify as thread drift, but I figure they're not overtly political:
a) During an election campaign 'way back a guy in Saskatoon had painted on the side of his van: "Don't vote ... it only encourages them." and
b) Up on one of the remote reserves the school principal observed: "The only day there's a lull in alcohol consumption is the day they vote to be a 'dry reserve.' "
I remember around 1985 there was a provincial election. The voting public was quite lethargic. It wasn't because they really wanted the incumbents. I think it was due to the fact that the opposition wasn't ready to take over a hotdog stand so everyone knew who would win. The polls closed and the local TV station was ready to have an exciting night lasting until bed time. After about 1 hour all the ridings had their ballots counted and the election was all done. The poor sods on the TV had to read old news articles and have hair brained discussions to use up another 3 hours of air time.
If I were to have my name legally changed to
"They're All Crooks"
and get my name on the ballot, I could get elected to any office I ran for.
I disagree and honestly believe that massive non-voting would be the clearest message that the voters could possibly send to say NOTA. Or, to show up and write in NOTA which would be better message: it shows that you made the effort to show up but did not do what they try and force you to do, which is to choose the lessor of two evils, both of which are evil.
Some Canadian provinces allow a "declined ballot," which has the express message that, "none of the candidates are worthy of my support. I suspect that most citizens are totally unaware.... in fact in one election where I used it, the returning officer (?) had to check on the process.
I fear it's use won't become widely accepted because supporters of one party won't trust the supporters of other parties..... i.e. I'll decline my ballot IF you do likewise ..... now how do I know that your word is good if you're dozy enough to support "those guys."
Edit: Maybe we really do get the government we deserve [and by extension all the associated quasi-governmental tentacles] ???
Edited by - Owen on 08/15/2024 06:35:12
If you don't vote, you have no right to complain about the outcome, whatever it may be.
In general the US has below average voter turnout compared to similar countries and it’s been that way for generations. In the end, it’s a combination of apathy and the slow climb from a constitution that was designed to reduce voting rights as oppose to grow them. There are people who simply will never care about politics (these in my opinion are probably the smartest), there are those that believe if voting changed anything that they'd make it illegal, and then those that know that because of the electoral college their vote could be completely irrelevant (whichever type of state one lives in).
Edited by - South Jersey Mike on 08/15/2024 15:26:46
quote:
Originally posted by banjo bill-eI disagree and honestly believe that massive non-voting would be the clearest message that the voters could possibly send to say NOTA. Or, to show up and write in NOTA which would be better message: it shows that you made the effort to show up but did not do what they try and force you to do, which is to choose the lessor of two evils, both of which are evil.
That assumes that the goal is voter turnout. There are certain groups that perform better when turnout is lower, so disenfranchising voters is a boon to those who seek to maintain power in those groups. As long as the non-voters haven't armed themselves to overthrow the government than disengagement from the process is voluntarily ceding the only power they have.
