If you are eligible to vote and haven't already done so, you've got two days to decide to cast your ballot.photo credit: Pexels
At this point, you've most likely seen many of the typical, adversarial, fear-based ads, coming from both sides of the political spectrum.
What I'm offering is another view, outside of that red-hot political firestorm.
Here, for what they may be worth, are a few thoughts about voting.
Voting Out of Fear
Fear is probably the most expensive emotion we can experience.
It doesn't normally result in positive behavior, but in behavior that is, at best, reactive and backward thinking. That isn't geared towards positive, forward-thinking solutions.
Voting Out of Nostalgia For the Past
The past is the past.
Sometimes, fear is coupled with nostalgia in an effort to avoid imminent change.
For instance, it won't be long before, demographically, white folks will be the minority in the U.S.
It's a simple, statistical fact.
But emotionally, it points to a big change, and in general, we humans tend to choose to stay rooted in the past.
Combining fear with nostalgia is a mortar that can cause distraught and inaccurate thinking, i.e. conspiracy theories. [Think of refusing to recognize the results of the 2020 election.]
Speaking of which, there is a case to be made for doing away with the electoral college.
In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore won 48.4 of the popular vote, compared to 47.9 percent for George W. Bush. In the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton won 48.2 percent of the popular vote, compared to Donald Trump's 46.1 percent. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden won 51.3 percent of the popular vote, compared to 46.8 percent for Trump.
Despite the obvious flaw of the electoral college, there is still a valid point to be made for voting.
The U.S. is a democratic republic and voting is an important part of ensuring that the will of the public is maintained.
To abolish or alter the electoral college, the will of the people needs to be respected. That simply can't happen if people refuse to vote.
The Percent of Eligible Voter Turnout
It's no secret that a large chunk of the eligible voting population in the U.S. doesn't vote.
Take a look at the most recent presidential elections:
| Election | Voting-age population (VAP) | Turnout as % of VAP |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 229,945,000 | 57.1% |
| 2012 | 235,248,000 | 53.8% |
| 2016 | 249,422,000 | 54.8% |
| 2020 | 257,605,088 | 62.0% |
source: Wikipedia
This is sobering information. And points to a variety of challenges.
But the bottom line is, although the rate of turnout in 2020 was significantly higher, the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote needs to be increased if the U.S. wants to continue any tradition of democracy.
Legislation that inhibits voting is also a challenge. But it can't be blocked unless eligible voters get out and vote, despite those challenges. In many statewide elections this year there are candidates running who simply deny the results of the 2020 election. And many of them will not say if they will accept the results of the 2022 mid-terms.
A democracy can't survive if election results are denied. No matter who wins, we need to respect the results.
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