Why vote?

[azurite]

My icon (Palpatine 08: why vote for a lesser evil?) is darkly ironic.

Moving on: why vote?
I have two friends who may or may not be reading this who aren't registered to vote. I'm hoping to change that for at least one of them, but I need your help.

What are your reasons for voting?
Why do you think voting is important?

I don't care where you're from, what your party affiliation is, or what specifically you're voting for, since the necessity and importance of voting is something that I think crosses state and party lines.

Help me out here!
(For the record, I have a ton of great reasons why I vote, but I want to hear your reasons first.)

Comments

[kitesareevil.livejournal.com]

While I cannot argue in favor of voting for the president to most people (Hey, sorry, they're right, their vote usually doesn't count) as an example I use propositions as a reason why people SHOULD vote.

Out here gay marriage is up, again, to be added as a constitutional amendment to be banned. We defeated it last time by a very VERY slim margin, and mostly because the wording would have also made it so that adult children (disabled) would have also lost their health benefits. The margin of defeat was only about 3% - you're not talking a lot of votes.

THAT'S where one vote really does count. In issues where they tally each and every vote and where your voice is heard and majority does rule.

In the presidential races, does it? Sure, I guess, but if you're like me and voting democrat in Arizona, what hope do you have of your vote actually counting towards Obama's vote count? NONE.

[time-guardian.livejournal.com]

we should always exercise our rights as citizens. doesnt matter if you feel like it counts or not. lots of people gave their lives/dedicated their lives to equal rights so you get THE CHANCE to vote.
in china, there is only one political party, so even if you think your vote doesnt matter here, think of the chinese!
on that note, we should try our best to be good citizens and research what we vote on also.

[heartless-vaz.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not old enough to vote D: But if I was 18, I would so vote!! But sadly...I can't.

I guess my reason for voting would probably be just try to change things, or even think maybe I'm changing things of the USA. A lot of people tell me my vote doesn't count, but I guess I want to prove them wrong? lol

I dunno, sometimes I believe the voting thing is a joke and it doesn't count, but a huge part of me wants to make a difference in my vote.

[uni-chan.livejournal.com]

heh...there's this bulletin board up in our dorms here that says, "Don't vote, don't complain".
It's the truth. And every time I walk by it I mentally add, "...and if you complain GTFO of my country." xD

If people don't like the way things are going and yet they don't vote, wth good are they? They did nothing. So they have no right to complain when they had the power to do something.

One vote holds a lot of power. It's a bunch of single votes that add up and actually get things done. In congress, a single vote could approve or disapprove a whole law or course of action. People don't realize the significance behind their votes.

I mean hello...right now we're about to decide the next leader of the most powerful nation in the world. Why would you not want to be a part of that?? o.O