How do you convince the "my vote doesn't matter" crowd?

[oregon_dem1]

I've had decent success with getting people registered to vote this year.

However, I have one friend that I got to register so he could vote "no" on measure 36 (Oregon constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage). However, he says he's "probably only voting on measure 36" because his vote doesn't really matter especially in the presidential race.

I need help convincing him; I've tried everything I can think of! Regardless of what I say, he keeps stating "Kerry is going to win Oregon so it doesn't matter" and "How does our choice of president really affect me?"

Anyone have anything inspirational that might help?

[Guava Jelly]

1. I start by informing them that even in solid red states

votes for sen and reps and govs your vote really matters.
explain to them that Reps can impeach sens can create laws or stop crazy ones from passing and stopping idiots from becoming judges.
Explain how govenors can appoint senators and reps. and how every office is important.Clinton got impeached because the house had a majority and they because they could!!
Tell them they can vote for checks and balances.Even if the Presidential vote may be wasted other offices are not

[oscar111]

2. one-vote elections: and.. post his traits so i can tell how prez affects h

affects him.

someone, pls post the one vote elections in history.

now... orig poster.. tell us his job, income, race, medical ills, family members with need of gov help, kids planning on college, nearness to pension time, etc and then we can tell you how the prez chosen will bring him more utter disaster, or some daylight.

[oscar111]

4. tell him to listen to OREGON PORTLAND's AAR

air america radio.. and he will soon learn how the choice will matter to him.

[oregon_dem1]

6. College age

Middle class family, from a rural area

[crispini]

11. Here ya go.

DID YOU KNOW...
Ÿ That several of our states, including California, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington, became states by just ONE vote?
Ÿ That in 1948, Lyndon B. Johnson, our 36th president, became a U.S. senator by a ONE vote margin?
Ÿ And that same year, if Thomas E. Dewey had gotten ONE vote more per precinct in Ohio and California, the presidential election would have been thrown to the
U.S. House of Representatives, where Dewey enjoyed more support than his rival -- incumbent Harry S. Truman? In fact, Dewey was expected to win the general
election by a landslide, so most Republicans stayed home. Only 51.5 percent of the electorate voted in 1948, and Truman defeated Dewey.
• In the 1960 presidential election, ONE additional vote per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have denied John F. Kennedy the presidency and put Richard M. Nixon in office eight years earlier.
• In recent years, the outcomes of many state and congressional races have been reversed as recounts have shifted a handful of votes from one candidate to another.
• Each and every vote is the voice of a citizen of the United States of America. One voice speaking out can change the course of history

Information above from: http://www.insuredemocracy.com/vote.htm

[Ruffhowse]

3. If he's the right age, tell him that a draft under Bush is quite likely,

and that certainly could affect him. Maybe that will wake him up. I think the draft issue is dynamite for motivating younger folks to vote.

[oregon_dem1]

5. I've done all this

However, this person isn't really interested in local politics. I've kind of conceded on this; local politics is a lost cause with him. He's completely against taking the time to educate himself about local politicans.

However, this person is watching debates, watched the debates in 2000, but has never voted. He understands the issues, and he's even planning to rent F911 to watch with his conservative parents next week. He has strong opinions but REFUSES to voice them.

It's driving me cRaZy!

[crispini]

9. Point out that...

in terms of popular vote, their pres. vote IS important, and here's why.

1-- A big popular vote for Kerry AND an electoral college win would be a great mandate for Kerry.
2-- A majority pop vote for Kerry and an EC loss, just like 2000, would make people so insanely mad to have this happen twice in a row that it would doubtless mean reform of the EC.

[G_j]

17. exactly

there is not much doubt that the election is going to be contentious and messy. The overall popular vote is very important.

[carpe_vinum]

12. In that case....

I think a good hardy bitch slap is in order.

I don't know what to tell you. I've read the other suggestions and they're quite good. But I also sympathize because I'm working with someone who is exactly the same way. Frustrating doesn't begin to describe the feeling.

[oregon_dem1]

13. No kidding!

I feel like this is the most important election of my lifetime. How someone could be so utterly unaffected by its potential impact is completely beyond me!

[bowens43]

7. Florida 2000

[Spinzonner]

8. If everybody believed that and acted that way

then nobody would get any votes.

If all Kerry voters assumed that attitude then Kerry would lose.

The prediction that Kerry will win - as represented in the polls - is predicated on the assumption that people will vote their preferences. If they fail to do so, then the prediction is unreliable. SO its his role to be part of the statistical manifestation of the prediction. If he doesnt he will be responsible for the failure of modern mathematical prediction and the fall of western civilation. (Well, maybe not that last part.)

[Thrill]

10. Show them the results

of the 2000 election. But I can understand if people in Kansas, Wyoming, and places like that feel that way.

[Spinzonner]

14. Actually, he's wrong

and it's that guy over there's vote that doesn't count but his does this time around. It's his turn to do the vote that counts.

[TomClash]

15. FOUR POINTS

1. Kerry is not a lock to win Oregon - 2000 was close
2. He's in the voting booth to vote on the same sex marriage issue, why can't he vote for Kerry
3. Florida 2000
4. People in my town, New York City, said "how does our choice of president really affect me?" in 2000 - they found out on 9/11/01

[doni_georgia]

16. Here's a link from an NPR broadcast on importance of voter turnout

GUEST: CURTIS GANS *Director, Committee for the Study of the American Electorate The 2000 presidential election is the closest in U.S. history. Experts say voter turnout was slightly higher than in previous elections and a few thousand votes in states like Florida, New Mexico and Oregon might decide the presidency. Join Juan Williams and guests for a look at voter turnout and whether the legal wrangling in Florida might affect voter turnout in future elections.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1113966

[sandnsea]

18. Let me count the ways

Do our ports get dredged or not.
Trees or no trees.
Salmon anyone?
Will Pell grants ever cover the cost of tuition and books again, like they used to?
Oregon health care funding, shouldn't have to say more than that.
Bridges repaired?
200 failing schools under NCLB, meaning 200 schools have to figure out how to find the funds to pass AND provide tutors or send kids to other schools. Or be closed in another couple years. It's going to be interesting when entire school districts are closed because 94% of kids took the test instead of 95%.

If he doesn't get it after that, tell him if he wants to live in Alabama, just move there. Don't drag us down with him.

[tomfodw]

19. Three words: FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA

Actually, remind him that Gore won Oregon in 2000 by only 6,765 votes (out of 1,530,549 cast: .4%).

Every vote is sacred
Every vote is great
If a vote is wasted
God is quite irate

[snippy]

20. I have had some success with the following argument:

One vote probably will not matter in the presidential election this year, but political change is a process, not an event. Every vote against republicans, even for city council or state legislative positions, helps prevent the Reich wing fundamentalists all over the country from exerting more power and influence over everyone's life. A vote for a state legislator who loses this election may make that person a more viable candidate next time who can win and then be an incumbent running for reelection in the election after that. That can change the amount of power democrats have over the next Congressional redisricting and the makeup of Congress several years from now. Every person who does not vote or who votes republican for any office is empowering the Reich wing fundamentalists and their control of the republican party and the government.

Some people are persuaded by this while a few just reject it outright, but lots of the people who are not persuaded at first do give it some thought. A common response is: "I hadn't thought about it like that." Several people have told me later that they had decided to vote after all.

[tomfodw]

22. Also, there are many other races

Everyone is voting for their Congressmen; 33 or 34 of us are voting for US Senators. I'm sure there are governors up for election, etc. Those races, naturally, get smaller vote totals, and the smaller the total the more each vote counts. It's not enough to elect John Kerry (as wonderful and essential as that is). We need to give him at least a Democratic Senate.

[studentskye]

21. Good suggestions here

Wow - I have learned several important facts from this thread - thank you for starting it.
Perhaps your answer could include -
Voting is like exercise - if you don't exercise, you atrophy -
Use it or Lose it.

I wonder if your friend could transfer his vote privilege to me? I will not be 18 in time for this election.

[newyawker99]

27. Hi studentskye!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[studentskye]

28. Thanks

Thank you for the welcome - I have really learned a lot lurking here - I can't wait until election 2008 when I can vote and re-elect Kerry!

[Maiden England]

23. I like the 'expression of democracy' argument...

Not voting, is not sitting on your arse in abject apathy. That's being lazy and denigrating the sacrifice of thousands that died to bring you that right. You have to at least go to the polls, and mark other as a protest, vote for who you really want. But go there. How can we be the bearers of democracy and try and bring the same values to the rest of the world, when half our citizens throw the right away as if it were trash.
Of course once you guilt 'em into getting to the polls, then you can work on putting the X in the right place....

[johan helge]

24. He can ask himself: Me - a part of the solution or part of the problem?

It's thanks to people who vote, the US has a democracy. And it's thanks to people who vote Kerry, decency may again be seen in the WH.

And - his vote matters: The clearer Kerry wins Oregon and the US, the stronger the message from the people is.

[jfxgillis]

25. Here's my rationale for voting in a closed state

... and I live in Massachsetts.

Any one vote may or may not alter the outcome in terms of the Electoral College, but EVERY VOTE cast or witheld contributes to or weakens the mandate of the winner.

The more votes a President Kerry has, the stronger his political position in his conflicts with Congressional Republicans.

[tomfodw]

26. This is inside baseball type stuff, but...

...part of the formula for determining how many delegates each state gets to the next Democratic Convention is how many votes are cast in the preceding election.