Why We Should Vote on November 2nd

Photo Credit: Theresa Thompson

Tomorrow, tens of millions of United States citizens will enter the voting booth to choose the women and men that they feel will do the best job of leading our cities, counties, states and country. Unfortunately, a significant number of voters will choose to stay home. Many are turned off by the negative tones of political campaigns or feel like their single vote doesn't make a difference.

Think your vote doesn't matter? Look at what Seth Godin has to say about why it's important for us to vote:

"If you don't vote because you're trying to teach politicians a lesson, you're tragically misguided in your strategy. The very politicians you're trying to send a message to don't want you to vote. Since 1960, voting turnouts in mid-term elections are down significantly, and there's one reason: because of TV advertising.

Political TV advertising is designed to do only one thing: suppress the turnout of the opponent's supporters. If the TV ads can turn you off enough not to vote ("they're all bums") then their strategy has succeeded.

The astonishing thing is that voters haven't figured this out. As the scumminess and nastiness of campaigning and governing has escalated and the flakiness of candidates appears to have escalated as well, we've largely abdicated the high ground and permitted selfish partisans on both sides to hijack the system.

Voting is free. It's fairly fast. It doesn't make you responsible for the outcome, but it sure has an impact on what we have to live with going forward. The only thing that would make it better is free snacks.

Even if you're disgusted, vote. Vote for your least unfavorite choice. But go vote."

Over the course of our nation's history, there have many brave individuals that have sacrificially given of themselves (some have even given their lives) so that you and I could exercise this very basic privilege of freedom. Your vote does matter and, collectively, we make a difference. Take the time and vote.