Yes; voting is my right, my privilege, and my responsibility.

I voted already by mail. We have a nasty gubernatorial race going on, and an amendment to permit medical marijuana.

I mostly don't vote, it's rare that someone or something appears on a ballot to make me feel that the effort to vote is worthwhile. The outcomes usually make little difference.

That proposed amendment would certainly get me into a voting booth, though. That it hasn't passed is a good sign, that your state is populated by a lot of level-headed people.

Yes we are voting my mail. I'm so tired of all the political phone calls and nasty ads against the candidates on tv.
Mary

I voted last week, by mail.

Your second paragraph totally mirrors my sentiment snidely. Completely!

When I don't vote it's because I either A) don't mind what everyone else chooses (learned that not voting is still voting. You're just *deferring to other voters) or B) haven't researched enough to have an informed vote. I'd rather refrain than pick based on a hunch? down party lines? For me, whatever the outlining reasoning is for voting when I am not informed, just doesn't feel right.

*in the most progressive system in the world, only about 25-35% of the citizens vote. Experts who study the systems have determined this is because the system runs pretty well and everyone is satisfied. That's not a bad thing.

This post was edited by rob333 on Mon, Oct 20, 14 at 13:37

Yes, and now I vote by mail. That way I don't forget and it is so easy to do.

Often I do not know and will skip a section of the ballot, such as for judges.

I'll be voting.

I voted a month ago on the first day of early voting in Iowa. I always vote. Iowa makes it very easy if you want to vote a straight party ticket you just fill in the circle at the top of the ballot.

Of course, haven't missed an election yet.

Yes, I will be voting. And so will DH.

Yes! I'll vote early.

Like FlamingO, I've never missed an election. I take voting very seriously, and am an informed voter. I wish there were a test given, so that idiots couldn't vote. And I wish that ID was required, so that dead people couldn't vote, either!

Of course! I always vote. My girlfriend and I talk over the propositions to make a decision on them.

Absolutely. I can still hear my dad's (a retired USAF MSgt) voice as would talk to me about voting when I was growing up, "People have died to give you the right to be able to go vote. Not all countries have this right. Don't ever take it for granted."

We both vote, always. Primaries too.

The only reason not to would be to have run out of stamps, this entire state votes by mail only. No going out in the rain, looking for someplace to park, standing in line....just sign, stamp, and drop in the mail.

I always vote. More importantly, I do my homework ahead of time and know what I'm voting on.

Yes.

Voted today on the first day of early voting.

I always have in the past but this time around, probably not. The problem is I do not like either candidate. But I may vote if I feel there's something worth voting for. Still thinking on that for now.

Got our ballots today.... in the mail tomorrow.

We always vote! We vote by mail because it's easier and mostly because I can't see very well anymore and I want to be sure I vote for the people I believe in.

You need to be informed. I think all the newspapers have all the candidates and their positions listed and it is also online.There are too many low info voters, dead people voting and people who vote more than once and/or in multiple states! I also think it is important to show I.D. before you are allowed to vote to prevent illegal voting. Too many times there have been more people voting than there are people registered to vote! Now how can that be?

Our country is in a mess In too many areas because too many people are not voting. It's really made me mad in the past few years that our military are not getting their votes counted.

For the first time since I came of age, I will NOT be voting. I truly believe there's no helping this place.

I always vote....gives me a legitimate right to complain about politicians.

I've always wondered how people who don't vote are the ones that complain the loudest about the performance of elected politicians.
Yes, it seems that it's a matter of choosing between the better of two bad options. But, maybe if more people vote in the primaries, we would have better choices?

Of course I am voting. It is my right and privilege. If I don't vote, then I have no right to complain about the results.

Yes!...that is one of the few liberties we still have and it is a right and privilege to do so. I just heard on TV this morning how very few actually do vote....it is scary. When many are interviewed on TV, they have no clue as to what is going on in the USA, but yet, they could vote.

dh and I just mailed in our absentee ballot... it was extremely important, for us to get our say in...

I feel for the tn voters...but sorry to say not only abortion but women's heath rights are being attacked...yearly paps and mammos that planned parenthood offers...

"If I don't vote, then I have no right to complain about the results."

Why do you feel that way? You don't need to have voted to have an opinion about a political matter. If you see the all the candidates for a particular office as undesirable, or the outcome of a referendum to be unimportant, you've accomplished nothing by sending in a blank ballot or making a choice from what's available that doesn't represent your view.

Are you able to show up at the voting place and refuse your ballot?

I think that my landlord did that a while ago, in our provincial election.

I think that has more impact than just not going at all, which helps the ones in charge pursue their progressive taking on of more power than our rules provide for.

When the matter of voting came up on this forum a while ago, someone said that it was their right to choose not to vote, which is true.

But many have fought hard, both in wars and the political realm, to develop our freedoms and our democracy, and I think that we should value their effort enough to not only vote, but to participate in the political arena year round, including between elections.

If we, who have the right to vote, choose to avoid that responsibility, aren't we more or less spitting on the graves of the ones who died fighting for freedom and democracy ... and discounting the sacrifice of the ones who came home broken?

One of your major leaders ... was it Nathan Hale? ... said in the early days of your republic that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, and I think that is as important today as then, if not more so.

The main way that we lose it is a little chunk eroded away, on an ongoing basis ... until someday we wake up and find that it's been hugely damaged, if not pretty well destroyed. Irretrievably so?

The western world is in great peril ... and we seem to be asleep at the switch? controls?

We need to let our political parties know how disgusted we are with their performance, if such is the case: they should be co-operating to bring our sick societies back to health.

ole joyful

Snidely..you reading comprehension is very narrow.
By not voting, you are saying that you don't care, you don't want to add your voice --- if everyone thought as you do, then it tells people that you don't care. Or is it that you want/need something to complain about.

But you sure are open to expressing yourself when you are anonymous on a message board.

Grow up.

"If we, who have the right to vote, choose to avoid that responsibility, aren't we more or less spitting on the graves of the ones who died fighting for freedom and democracy ... and discounting the sacrifice of the ones who came home broken?"

I feel too strongly not to say anything, and I feel I have almost as much a right to answer as a veteran. I don't see it that way at all. My father was a career (that means more than 20 years of the service) Naval officer and I know what the sacrifice is he was risking. And some sacrifices we made by living a lot of the time fatherless. And why he made those choices. We understood as a family, and supported him then, and support him now. He did come back broken, but wasn't in vain. His work was to protect the rights of everyone, everywhere are still intact. Not voting, is voting. I'm not advocating it all the time, but if you don't want to have a say, and prefer to let others say it for you, go ahead. Daddy would agree. He fought for your right to refuse to vote. It's still a statement. If you are comfortable with it, go ahead. It's not a "responsibility" if you're an uninformed voter. As long as you understand what lies ahead if you refrain from joining in, you could, and maybe even should. And I'd much rather have someone abstain from voting than have blind voting. That is, uninformed voters out there "voting their conscience", but who lack education on an issue, i.e. when they haven't bothered to find out both sides. Personally.

Monica, you having a bad day? I stopped name calling at about age 10, it's something you might want to consider.

It seems you view the expression of opinions different from the ones you have as complaining?

By not voting, I'm not voting. Nothing more.

i agree with rob's preceding comment.

Does everyone fill out their sample ballot and bring it to the polls to help remember all your picks? I do. I research all candidates so I am ready when I get to the polls.

I understand why apathy is rife among the voting populace. We feel that our vote won't change a thing! At the same time, I remember my father would never have missed an opportunity to vote, so I make the effort. I remember going to the polls with his mother years ago in a small rural town. Wow! Those people celebrated election day!!

I vote if I have something thoughtful and responsible "to say". It turns out that I vote federally and provincially but for Mayor and councillors, unless I know someone who is running I don't bother. Our mayor, for about the 3 term, has been acclaimed this time around, I know one of the councillors who is running so I will vote for him. He is a neighbour so I'm hoping he can carry our NIMBY and traffic concerns to city hall.

Of course I'm voting! I don't agree about not voting being a vote.....no right to b*tch if you don't vote....imho.......

Yes

Yes.

voted today.

story:

I hadn't voted in forever, & my elderly friend Sally, in 2012, insisted that I vote.

so I registered, & on the big day I took her to the polling place.

By this time, she was on hospice.
She used her walker to get to the voting booth.
She was 85 years old.

She scolded me & pushed me...& I voted.

I voted again today.

I think I'll vote every time they'll let me for the rest of my life.

All too often we are presented with a choice between a reprehensible scumbag, and a slimy weasel. Or between a self-serving roving carpetbagger and a brainless spineless fool. Or between a bought and paid for puppet of out-of-state interests and a slightly different bought and paid for dupe of different out-of-state interests. Or Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

So I hold my nose and vote every year, only rarely voting for a candidate, as opposed to selecting the candidate that is the lesser of two evils. And only rarely feeling that my vote counts or matters.

Someone above wrote "I wish there were a test given, so that idiots couldn't vote." I'd be happy if for a start if the candidates were given a test, so that idiots couldn't run for office.

I also dream that every ballot should have a required additional option of "None of the above" and if "None of the above" wins, that election is re-run, but none of the listed candidates can appear on the ballot.

I am also quite upset and offended by the Supreme Courts "Citizens United" decision claiming that money is speech, and corporations are people and their rights must be protected. This decision is basically an tacit acknowledgment and ringing endorsement of bribery on a wholesale level.

If you can't vote in a given election, you shouldn't be allowed to contribute even one dime in support of any candidate in that election.

Amen bob!!!!! Woohoo!!!!

"I'd be happy if for a start if the candidates were given a test, so that idiots couldn't run for office." I completely agree.

Totally agree Bob. I would go further to say, I think there should be term limits for every, single office. From local to the top of the food chain. I don't think ANYONE should be allowed to be a career politician and be in office for decades. We should start a campaign of our own, don't vote for any incumbents!