What is your opinion of people that refuse to vote?

[kentuck]

Do you think deserve just what they get? Do you think they really don't give a shit about this country? Or do you think that they don't feel their vote matters so why bother? Or are they too intimidated because they really don't know how to vote? Or they think other people know more than they do so let those that are knowledgeable vote? What is your opinion of these folks?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

1. I don't consider it much of a basis for forming an opinion about someone.

[Kerrytravelers]

2. I think they've lost the right to bitch and moan.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. But you could argue the same about someone who does vote

By casting a vote, they have made their decision and cannot take it back. Those who voted for Bush in 2004 and now regret it have less right to complain than those who didn't vote at all IMO. At least the non-voters didn't directly assent to his dumb ass still being there. I talked to people who didn't vote in that election because they didn't care for him or Kerry. In some cases, they had kind of a valid point since Kerry was still supporting the Iraq occupation at the time. I wish they would have voted for Kerry but they could not in good conscience do it.

[Kerrytravelers]

18. Well, if someone voted for *, I certainly don't want to hear any bitching,

unless, of course, it's following an apology! :)

And for those who didn't vote at all because they weren't wild about Kerry? I wonder why they didn't vote against *? In this scenario, Kerry was the best way to vote against *. Sometimes, voting must be strategic. Anyone who dislikes * and didn't vote, wasn't being very strategic and personally, I have no personal interest in hearing these people either- unless it's following an apology! :)

[Change has come]

22. Great point.

"By casting a vote, they have made their decision and cannot take it back. Those who voted for Bush in 2004 and now regret it have less right to complain than those who didn't vote at all IMO."

[leftofthedial]

3. after the last four "elections" in this country

I understand them way better than I used to

[Cant_wait_for_2008]

4. Take them out in back of the chemical tanks and shoot them !

From the movie, "V for Victory".

[bahrbearian]

5. My older friends who don't vote have Lower Blood pressure than I

[notadmblnd]

6. I think they have no right to speak up and complain

nt

[Synnical]

7. I didn't vote for 15 years

But, now, it's too important to not vote! Alas, my vote is "counted" on Diebold machines. . . . I'm not certain my vote will be counted at all.:scared: ..

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[saltpoint]

8. All good questions. For me it comes down to wishing they'd vote

instead of sitting it out.

It was a huge risk for the Colonial originals to defy the King of England. But it happened. That was a fight worth the fighting and our right to vote grows from the blood of that soil and time.

Other nations put us to shame on percentage of eligible voters voting. I'd like to see that trend reversed.

[lvx35]

9. I think their complete tools.

I've talked to people like this, and they say that they are "Really not informed enough" or "Washington always goes blue anyway" or "electoral college keeps it from really mattering, this isn't a swing state" but its all BS. Voting always has an effect...Its like one friend of mine said, the thing that would REALLY scare republicans is if this country had 80% voter turnout, because it would mean politicians would really have to start trying to do good things for working people instead of ignoring them because 70% sit there with their thumbs in their asses no matter what happens...And anyone who claims they are not informed enough is giving up their power, so they are either an idiot or WAY too much of an optimist!

[FILAM23]

10. Their right, their privilege

It bothers me not at all

[William769]

11. People who refuse to vote.

Are the reason We are in the situation we are in today. So Fuck them!

[Mz Pip]

12. They might get what they deserve

but we don't.

Not voting impacts more than just the non voter.

Our founders counted on there being an informed electorate. People who are too stupid or too lazy to be informed harm all of us.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AZBlue]

13. I think they've given up.

At least that's why the non-voters that I know stay away from the polls. And I can see their point, but I refuse to ever give up.

[Mythsaje]

14. I think they believe the whole thing is rigged...

a LOT of them do, anyway. Unless you have money, or know people with money, you have very little chance in politics. Therefore, how can you possibly represent those who live paycheck to paycheck, if they're lucky?

Not very well. In general.

[JVS]

16. It's as much their right not to vote as it is their right to vote.

[kentuck]

19. Do they then have a right to unemployment compensation....

food stamps, job training, etc, if they lose their job and are broke? Do they have a right to look to the government for any assistance??

[JVS]

21. Yes, those rights are contingent upon residence not political activity

It would be wrong to punish people just because their vote is for "none of the above", which is really what not voting is all about

[kentuck]

23. Unless, of course, the people they didn't vote for...

decides there should be no assistance for the needy -no unemployment, no healthcare, no education, and no food stamps. Then we could say he got exactly what he didn't vote for?

[JVS]

24. yeah, whatever

:boring:

[mrreowwr_kittty]

29. Yes

They pay taxes, don't they?

[The Straight Story]

17. I dunno, make a poll. I probably won't vote on it though ;)

seriously though, I think people are apathetic and feel that no matter who gets elected they are screwed. Damned sad.

[bullimiami]

20. some of them may just not care for any of the corporate choices at all.

so much so they will not vote for them. I have a hard time telling them they are wrong.

some of them may feel the system is so corrupt that voting is a fools game. I also have a hard time telling them they are wrong.

some are just disinterested or disconnected. they are fools and deserve whatever happens.


I just keep trying though, voting for the least offensive choice (sadly) and hoping my vote will be counted.
I cant give up hope because if we give up, the bastards win by default.

[lisainmilo]

25. I have spoken to some of the younger generation

I have spoken with some of the younger kids where I work and they feel like their vote doesn't matter. They seem to think, whatever happens ..... happens anyway.
I get so frustrated at times. I let them know how important it is to their lives personally, I am not sure it really helps.

[genie_weenie]

26. Voting imparts false divinity to Politicans

Elections have become the new Divine Right of Kings. The Ruling Class will always invoke the "Will of the People" as evidenced by the elections that they have been ordained to Rule and are no longer (if they ever were) viewed as a leash and control on their outrageous actions.

Edit: My opinion is People who don't vote have it right. It's about time WE the People took over and stopped allowing ourselves to be ruled.

[JVS]

27. Yes as Richard Wright wrote onto his ballot once "I protest this fraud!"

[NoBushSpokenHere]

28. The top ten reasons people in Ohio do not vote

Ten reasons of many more below:

1. They have no faith in the election process.
2. They do not believe their vote matters.
3. They have given up hope and are afraid to dream of a brighter tomorrow.
4. They do not want to stand in line all day (many can't afford to miss work that long).
5. They are afraid of getting called for jury duty.
6. They procrastinate and do not get registered in time.
7. They do not understand how important it is.
8. They do not understand how much the governmental powers affect them.
9. Their religious affiliation prohibits them from voting, i.e. Jehovahs Witnesses do not vote (to my knowledge).
10. They are illiterate.

Sad thing is...I haven't ever missed an election but number 1 applies to me, but I still have a tiny shred of hope that a miracle will happen and our election will be clean <sigh> just a shred of hope.

[Selatius]

30. It's as much a right not to vote as it is to vote.

With that said, if the person is ill-informed about the issues, it's probably for the best. If he is well-informed and doesn't vote, I'd encourage him to vote. However, if the choices at the ballot box are such that no option is a good option, then I wouldn't encourage him to vote, and I probably wouldn't either.

[kentuck]

31. The Repubs were well-informed last election?

Look how many turned out?

[Selatius]

32. I wouldn't say they were "well-informed," so I wouldn't...

have been encouraging them to vote to begin with. Somebody else sold their soul to get them out to vote.

[niyad]

33. perhaps they believe in not colluding with the enemy-- by voting, they

would be implying that the system, and what the vote represents, are honest, and worthy of engagement, and that their vote grants it legitimacy. perhaps they truly believe that voting is a desperate collaboration with a decayed, diseased and soon-to-be-dead system.

just a possibility.

[mike_c]

34. I think there are lots of reasons people don't vote...

...ranging from plain lazy apathy to feeling utterly disenfranchised. In the end though, voting is a right that one can exercise or not-- if we are to respect someone's right to vote we must also respect their right to not vote. With an emphasis on "respect." I won't criticize someone for exercising their rights as they see fit.