

Ask HN: Do you vote? - chishaku

Why or why not?
======
Someone1234
Nope.

Looking at the historic turnout and voting patterns, regardless of who I
supported there would be no point voting. It won't make a difference.

I'd only turn out if there was a specific local issue on the ballot which had
a chance of going one of two ways.

Democracy under FPTP is largely a fiction to keep people inline. It MIGHT be
useful to avert a civil war, but anything less than that and it only serves to
provide people the illusion of choice.

~~~
drewrv
At an individual level voting doesn't seem to make much of an impact, but the
whole point of voting is that it's a group activity.

Washington state has legal pot. Texas has strict abortion laws. The reason the
laws of a state reflect the beliefs of the populous is due to voting. The fact
that seniors vote in high numbers, while college students vote in low numbers,
is why universities get budget cuts but social security is sacred.

The idea that voting doesn't make a difference is a fiction.

~~~
UnoriginalGuy
Statistically none of that is true for the majority of the country.

~~~
drewrv
Can you please refute my point then? If not due to voting, why do areas with a
liberal population enact liberal policies and areas with a conservative
population enact conservative policies? I'm honestly curious to know what you
think...

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ericcope
I vote. However, for particular positions like judges, I won't because I am
not educated. I spend a lot of time researching propositions and candidates.
If all the candidates look the same, I won't vote. I also won't vote on the
"lesser of two evils".

~~~
chishaku
What resources do you use for your research?

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huxley
I have voted in every election that I have been eligible for (almost 30 years
of voting now).

I consider it an obligation as a citizen to express my preferences, though
I'll admit that I often get frustrated with our elected governments. I try to
make the vote my own thing, I have usually supported a minor party with
limited opportunities for government but some electoral wins at the candidate
level.

Electoral campaigns are usually a circus that I have come to avoid, I think
the important thing is to interact with people at an individual or small group
level all the time not just during elections.

And if voting seems like a waste (or even if it seems valuable), go do
something else to make things better. Arlo Guthrie once pointed out that if we
lived in a perfect world it would be impossible to improve things but in a
world that sucks "you don’t have to do very much at all! There’s never been a
time in the history of the world when you could do so little and have it mean
so much to so many people!"

And always be testing and adjusting your beliefs based on evidence and
knowledge. You might find that people's beliefs are usually more complex than
what you'll find on the news or on a political website.

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viaHack
No. Neither side of a shit sandwich seems appetizing.

~~~
dagw
Then why not register your disdain by voting blank?

~~~
Someone1234
> Then why not register your disdain by voting blank?

Because then someone somewhere will use the turnout % as a way to legitimise
whoever is in charge e.g. "X got voted in with a 80% turnout." Whereas if only
10% of the population turn up, no matter who wins they have no legitimacy or
mandate.

~~~
dagw
If you get a 80 % turn out and only 10% cast a vote for a candidate then I
think that would send a much stronger message. It clearly differentiates
between the case of just too lazy to bother and of genuine disdain for the
current options.

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_random_
Yes, for goods and services - with my money.

~~~
viaHack
Dig. This actually affects policy too, considering its for sale to the folks
who end up with our money for their goods or services.

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nostromo
If you want to submit a poll, use this:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newpoll](https://news.ycombinator.com/newpoll)

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sarciszewski
I would if I could, but the privilege of voting is a fickle thing and we
Americans are easily stripped of it.

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SimpleXYZ
No. I understand statistics.

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jordsmi
I often upvote quality comments, yes.

