You didn't vote in the primary because?

11 years ago

Rant time here. I'm not sure if I should post this here or on hot topics, but here goes.

I spent twenty years in the military defending everyone's right to vote. So this past week we had two very important primaries, and only 17%, yes 17%, of the eligible voters turned out What the heck is wrong with people?! I don't care if it's a primary for dog catcher, get out and vote. If you don't vote, then I don't want to hear you complain later that "Oh, I don't like Jim, Terry or whoever is on the ballot". You had a chance to make your wishes known and didn't.

I've heard all the excuses from "Well my vote will cancel your vote" (very intelligent) to "Oh, I forgot today was election day". The last after the air waves are flooded with reminders that today is election day.

It really makes me feel that my time in serving my country was for naught when this happens. A very well qualified candidate failed in the primary due to the low turnout and the incumbent jerk will be on the ballot in November. All I can say is, I'd better not hear anyone complain about who's on the ballot then.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Comments (25)

sheilajoyce_gw
11 years ago
Around here, the person who wins in the primary has a cakewalk in the fall election, so the primary is more important than the fall election.
azzalea
11 years ago
Well, normally I always vote in the primary--this year? I moved about 5 days before it, so wasn't elible to vote in the new place yet--so yes, I did miss it this year. (back in June)
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patti43
11 years ago
First, thanks for your service and I'm glad you are safe. I love to vote. And remember, if it is difficult for you to get the the polls, you can ask for an absentee ballot but calling your local Supervisor of Elections. (Or whatever they call it in your state.) We are doing that this Fall, because Harry had a really difficult time standing in the primary. This is also good for people who no longer have a driver's license or picture ID. And it gives you time to study the candidates and amendments on your ballot.

Whichever candidate you back, please make sure they get your vote!!
azzalea
11 years ago
Please be very wary of absentee ballots--asking for one IS NOT CONFIDENTIAL!!!!!

We were going on vacation over election day one year and I--as a conscientious voter--requested an absentee ballot. Before we even left, we got various election propaganda addressed to "Dear Absentee Voter"--I was a nervous wreck the entire time we were away, for fear the info that we wouldn't be home could fall into the wrong hands and our house could be targetted for a break-in.

As I said above, I always try to vote, but I will NEVER EVER ask for an absentee ballot again--too dangerous if that info is being disseminated. And heaven forbid if a shut-in asked for one, someone decided it was a good time to break in and they were helpless to defend themselves against an attack.

It's just better to always be safe rather than sorry. Voting is important, but if the government isn't watching out for our safety, then maybe that's even more important than voting at some point.
morz8 - Washington Coast
11 years ago
I will thank you for your service too.

Here, it isn't a question of absentee ballots - ballots by mail had been an option (at least in this county of WA, I don't know about the others) for years, now all counties in the state conduct elections by mail only. If you are going to be gone during the normal mailing time, you can request they be sent early. Just takes a few minutes of time and a stamp to vote.
SunnyDJ
11 years ago
I also want to thank you for your service....I wonder what people would say if that right was taken away......

What do you think about the new Voter ID law? Here in Pa.there are a lot of people that are up in arms about it taking away their freedom?????And of course there are those who don't want to take the trouble, If that's what it's called, to get that voter ID....How many different places do you go in now that you are required to show ID so what makes voting any different.....Just something else to argue about.......
patti43
11 years ago
That's very interesting, Morz8. Wonder if there are other places that vote by mail only???
morz8 - Washington Coast
11 years ago
Patti43, that was an interesting question I hadn't thought of - normally Washington isn't necessarily first in adopting new trends.

But if I've found the correct information, only Oregon (first) and Washington (second, three years later) conduct mail only election procedures. Which doesn't make my first post relevant to many, does it :-)
patti43
11 years ago
Hey, Morz8--works for me. Wonder why more of us don't follow suit? In Florida this year, we are encouraged to vote absentee, but in our case it's a necessity.

Years ago when I lived in IN we had to have a good excuse for voting absentee.
sjerin
11 years ago
This will probably sound very bad and judgmental, but it is my guess that a lot of people are intimidated by the voting process and the wording of initiatives. If you have a minimal education and not a very good one at that, you're definitely going to give election day a miss due to not understanding what you're doing. I DO wish every school were expected to teach their students about the process and how to decipher wordy propositions. It's easy to give any ol'excuse to cover up the embarrassment.
sheilajoyce_gw
11 years ago
Azzalea, there is a huge population of people who permanently vote absentee here. Yes, the information is available as to who is voting absentee, and you get campaign material mailed to you early for your decision making. But about 25% of our suburban county vote absentee, and most of them for the convenience. You can sign up for permanent absentee ballots. My DH and I have voted this way for years since our kids were just starting to vote. We could sit together and decide how we all wanted to vote on issues and candidates. (DH, DD and I cancelling our our sons' votes for some candidates!)
eandhl
11 years ago
Just want to add in many states "Unaffiliated" or "Independent" are not allowed to vote in Primaries.
mary_c_gw
11 years ago
As an above poster said, an "Independent" voter isn't allowed to vote in a primary. I will never join a political party.

I do vote in all the elections.
samkaren
11 years ago
I always give thanks to anyone in the service. Thanks for defending our country and our rights.

Ok...here goes....I didn't vote in the primary because i had my name taken off the voter registration list years ago....for my own reasons.

SamKaren
your resident DJ
cynic
11 years ago
Has anyone else noticed that often the ones who don't vote bellyache the loudest about the results?

I agree that people who don't vote forfeit the privilege of complaining. I'm so tired of the lame excuses for not getting involved. I don't want to call the police because some criminal might come and get me. I don't vote because ______. Yadda yadda yadda.
wanda_va
11 years ago
As the daughter of a WWII vet and the wife of a Vietnam-era vet, I also thank you for your service. Too many people have fought and died to make this right available to me, so I always vote.

DH is disabled, so voting is really hard for him. At our polling place, a staffer will come out to the car with a portable voting machine and he can vote while in the car. For the first time, in the election in November, however, he is voting absentee because we expect there will be too many people for them to come out to him. I will go to the polls to vote--and then I will wear that little "I Voted" sticker with pride!

I just wish people would familiarize themselves with the issues and candidates. Too many people just vote to be voting, or because "my daddy was in that party". That's ignorant, irresponsible and unpatriotic, IMHO.
monica_pa Grieves
11 years ago
I ALWAYS vote in every election.
I feel that, in the very least, engaging in the choice gives me the right to complain. I feel that if you don't vote, then you don't care who gets on the ballot or wins an election.

As to my state, PA. I hope the voter ID is upheld. People who don't have any type of ID refuse to do so because they don't want to be identified - for usually suspicious reasons.
In PA, getting a non-voter ID is easy, too easy.
sushipup1
11 years ago
Monica, without special help, Jim Cramer's dad, a WWII vet, would not be allowed to vote. I'm sure that he's a suspicious character. But someone has stepped in to help him.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jim Cramer's Dad suspicious?
samkaren
11 years ago
Cynic
I agree with you. Too many non-voters complain after the fact. As for me...well I just say "don't blame me...I didn't vote for him/her".

SamKaren
your resident DJ
cynic
11 years ago
And I don't have a problem with that at all SamKaren!
joyfulguy
11 years ago
Send them wot don't vote to a land where democracy is pretty well unknown for a year or so??

ole joyful
joyfulguy
11 years ago
Oh, yeah - I meant to say that I didn't vote in the (necessarily, U.S.) primary because ...

... I'd have been in serious trouble if I had!

o j
Lily316
11 years ago
Jim Cramer's dad can vote now but many can't. In fact one of the justices at the hearing yesterday said he could not vote using his photo ID as a JUDGE because it didn't have an expiration date.
patti43
11 years ago
Until we moved to Ocala in 2007, we always had a voter's registration card. This was true in Indiana and Florida and if I remember correctly we always had to show a photo ID, too. I was shocked when I registered here and didn't get a card. That's why I don't understand the big to-do about it.

If you can't/won't get a photo ID, vote absentee. Not required then. All you have to do is call and get a stamp. You can't use that as an excuse not to vote.

OJ is sooo right. Go to a country where people don't have voting rights and you'll be running to that voting booth.
carol_in_california
11 years ago
Steve, thank you for fighting for our freedom.
My dad took me down to register to vote as soon as I turned 21 and I have never missed an election. That was in 1961.
I write to my representatives in our state and in Washington DC on things I believe in....learned from my dad.
It hurts my heart that both my adult children don't vote.

You didn't vote in the primary because?

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