Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve never voted. Not once, despite having been of age to do so for over two decades now. I’ve got some reasons for it, but mostly it’s because I never cared much; I seem to be equally badly off no matter who’s in office.
It took Bush to inspire me to participate in the Democratic process. I’m going to register to vote, and I’m going to vote in the November election, and I’m going to vote for anyone who has the best chance of keeping Bush from getting another term.
I don’t want this to turn into a debate on Bush’s performance as President. There are enough of those already; start your own if you want to go over that ground again. I’m just wondering how many of the non-voting population will be exercising their option to help enact a peaceful transition of government, due to the actions of the current administration.
Anyone else going to end their voting abstinence next year?
Yeah. I let my California residency lapse when I moved to Ireland so that I could get out of jury duty, and if there’s a way to register to vote in federal elections without being resident in any state I haven’t figured it out yet, so I didn’t vote in the last election. It was the first election I’d missed since I turned 18 though (in 1988), I’m not normally a non-voter. I’m going to make sure I’m registered in time for the next election though even if I have to do a George Bush Sr. (declare a hotel room as my address) - I simply feel I must do whatever I can to get these people out of office.
I’m registered non-partisan and I vote in every election. I normally don’t tell people who I vote for, but I heard Howard Dean on the radio last week and I like what I heard. I’ll have to look into his views more closely.
I’ll vote for anyone who is pro-choice on guns (supports the Second Ammendment), pro-choice on abortion, pro-choice on drugs (I choose not to use them, BTW), wants to work for universal health care (I have insurance, but a lot of people don’t – and it’s a hassle choosing a doctor based on who’s in your providor’s system. I’d like to see a system like in Canada or Sweden), supports gay marriage (which doesn’t affect me at all, since I’m not gay nor likely to ever be married), and is more willing to work with other nations instead of “telling them how it is”. Okay, I’ll vote for anyone who does all that… unless it’s Bush!
I quit voting 11 years ago, because I was afraid of jury duty. I am not sure anymore if not voting accomplishes this in my state, but I think it does.
I will not register. Like someone else said, it doesn’t much matter who is in the White House. After the election, they become a different person and their advisors run the country.
ruadh, if necessary, you can use my home address in Pennsylvania.
My own voting has been spotty as of late, but I voted in every presidential election since 1992. It’s the state and local elections I have problems with.
Well, it’s just a coincidence that the first presidential election I get to vote in is this one (I missed the 2000 election by a week…what a bummer.) It’s even better because there’s a democratic candidate I really want to vote for (good ol’ Howard Dean.) I’m not a democrat, but he’s a fine man (the guy was my governor for a lot of my years, and I liked him then too.)
Of course, it would be easy for me to register in New York state, because I go to school here and have actually spent the past two summers here as well, but I don’t want to. No offense to New York, but I don’t consider myself a New Yorker and would rather register in Vermont…but it’s a hassle because I have to go home to do that, not just that, but it has to be on a weekday so that I can get the forms and turn them in. Big hassle.
So although I’m not registering merely to try and kick out Bush, it is a good incentive.
Naw, I won’t vote just to get him out of office. Apparently, the majority doesn’t always rule. He’s gonna get a second term, and we’ll just have to deal with it as best we can.
The idea you apparently have that there could possibly be a Democratic nominee who would be even worse than Bush scares me. Please, Dems, say it ain’t so.
And MsRobyn, thanks , but I’ll probably just use the California address. My parents still own the house, but (unlike the last time I was called for jury duty) they aren’t around often enough to be able to tell anyone where I am and why I’m not answering the summons.
I didn’t say that you’re ignorant, but what if the other canidate is worse, I mean really bad? Your still not going to vote for Bush? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I like to look at both canidates and make a uniformed decision with pros and cons. Simply voting for the other guy, just because, well…, I guess that is ignorant.
I’m voting for the other guy just because I have very good reasons to fear the current guy, and I’ve assessed the capabilities and ideals of the potential opposition, and they don’t scare me nearly as much.
Is that still ignorant by your standards, Parental Advisory?
There just registering, its not like if the other guy somehow turns out to be even more terrifying than bush, there going to say, “Oh damn, I wish I waited for the candidate to be announced before putting my name down, guess I have to live with it now”
I’ve registered, but I haven’t voted yet. Though I could have for the 2000 elections, I lived in CA and I figured Gore would probably take it anyway. And he did.
But this year, not only will i vote, I’m going to be part of the campaign process too. I’m going to make sure other people vote, I’mgoing to work the booths and pass out fliars and do whatever the hell I have to do.
Don’t know whether or not I’m going to vote for Bush (depends on who the Democrats put up against him), but as a dual American and French citizen, I will make sure I am registered to vote in the French elections – against Chirac.
Forgot to add that as an American who’s basically libertarian except with typically hawkish foreign policy leanings, the thought that I would vote for a French socialist seems rather loony. But hey, anybody’s better than Chirac.
, but I’ll probably just use the California address. My parents still own the house, but (unlike the last time I was called for jury duty) they aren’t around often enough to be able to tell anyone where I am and why I’m not answering the summons.