WHEN NOT TO VOTE

October 22, 2016

I take my right to vote very seriously.  Your one vote not only affects your life, but the lives of millions.  So you might be surprised when I suggest that there are times when it is appropriate to exercise your right to not vote.

I have taken a great deal of heat for this statement in the past.  People drag out the cliché, “If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain!”  I call BS.  If the two parties in this country cannot come up with one viable candidate that I can in good conscience vote for, then I have every right to complain and to complain LOUDLY!

Others are offended, “Men and women have died for your right to vote!”  I agree, but they also died for my right to protest. 

We live in a country where we have the right to not vote.  There are twenty countries in the world where voting is compulsory. The repercussions for not voting vary.  In Australia, you receive a letter demanding to know why you didn’t vote.  If you don’t give the electoral commission a satisfactory answer, you can be fined A$20.  In others, you could lose your passport or your driver’s license.  (Check out: http://www.citizencapitalism.com/2011/04/06/it%e2%80%99s-illegal-not-to-vote/ or http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/09/economist-explains-10 to learn more.)

This election cycle has been heated and divisive.  We are weeks away from the election and there are still undecided voters.  Many are so disgusted by the vitriol that they will choose to either not vote or vote for a third party candidate.

I understand how they feel.  This election the majority of us will not be voting for a candidate, but against one.  We will be voting for the person we perceive as the one who will do the least amount of damage or is the lesser of two evils.  There are those who in good conscience cannot bring themselves to vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate.  So what should be their course of action?

In the past a protest vote has had little or no impact.  I have voted for a third party candidate in the past and I have not voted.  I am a passionate political animal.  I truly want my choice to win when I pull that lever.  So although it has only happened a few times, I have made the decision to reject the main stream candidates.

At the time, I knew that I was throwing away my vote and that my action would have no impact on that election.  This one is different.  Not voting or choosing a third party candidate will have an impact.

I would rather see an uninformed voter not vote than one who votes for the sake of voting.  I applaud an informed voter who cannot vote in good conscience for either candidate.  I have no problem with someone choosing to vote for a third party candidate.  That is their choice.

However, as I said, this election is different.  I am asking that if you vote for a third party candidate, please be informed about the candidate you choose.  Don’t vote for them, because you feel you have to vote, but because you genuinely believe that they are the best person for the job.

Third party candidates have very little chance of winning an election.  However, this year, the margin between the two candidates could shrink dramatically.  A large third party vote could determine which candidate wins.  Please take that into consideration when you head to the polls.

Keep in mind that not voting has the same effect, but don’t beat yourself up if you choose to do so.  It is your right.  However, if you still feel you have to vote and can’t make up your mind, try this.  Throw a coin up into the air; heads for Clinton, tails for Trump.  Your reaction to the result is your answer.