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What could be done to encourage more people to vote?
November 5, 2009 by Steve (send comment)
Local elections occurred all across the country this week. Thousands of people lined up at the polls to cast their vote. Thousands more, however, had the chance to vote but chose not to. There are millions of Americans today who are eligible to vote but only a fraction chooses to.
There are many reasons people give for not voting. “I don’t like either of the candidates” is a popular reason. Here is the thing though: if you don’t like either of the candidates, why not vote for the lesser of two evils? You are still allowing your voice to be heard. It is good to at least make an assertive decision. The way to look at is: it is better to vote for someone you only halfway support than to not vote at all. If the person you are totally against gets into office, you may hate it.
Another reason why people don’t vote is that they don’t believe their vote really matters. Many citizens believe that because of our Electoral College system, their individual vote does not matter. A candidate can win the popular vote but still lose the election. While we may not base our elections on the popular vote, this does not mean that a single vote does not matter. The popular vote for each state decides which candidate wins the Electoral College votes for that respective state. Our voices do matter. If you vote and your candidate loses, you can say you tried; you shared your opinion and supported it. If you do not vote however, I do not believe you have the right to complain about either candidate’s actions.
In order to get more people to vote, I believe our government should do away with the Electoral College system. If people knew that the votes they cast were the actual votes that decided who won an election, they may be more willing to share their opinion and cast a vote. Citizens need to have that extra boost of confidence that their single voice may actually turn the tide of an election. It is the citizens who should have the absolute power to decide who wins or loses and election.
I just turned eighteen this past month and registered to vote on the same week as my birthday. I am eager to support those candidates who share my views and support the common American. I know my voice will be heard. All I have to do is fill out my ballot on voting day. It is as simple as that.
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