By Lillian Basso ‘29
During election season, many people choose not to vote for a number of reasons: lack of information, emotional comfort, the appeal of avoiding conflict, and stepping away as a form of self protection. Although skipping the vote can seem like an easy way to avoid arguments and political stress, that comfort can come at a cost. In the long run, not voting can be more damaging than beneficial because it allows important decisions to be made without your voice.
According to TheConversation, nonvoters are twice as likely as active voters to say they do not feel they have enough information about candidates and issues to decide how to vote. A nonvoter is worse than an uninformed voter. There are various ways that people can start getting information on candidates and showing actual engagement. One way new information gets out there is through commercials, advertisements, campaigns, and literature in the mail. When you decide not to vote, you become disengaged and clueless on what new policies or regulations are changing.
When people think of politics, a common thing that comes to mind is conflict. 62% of Americans in 2020 said that the political climate prevented them from voting and speaking their truth due to the appeal of avoiding conflicts (CATOinstitute). Although some people cover their words and thoughts to avoid unnecessary offense, CATOinstitute discovered that other areas including race, income, gender, and sexuality hold nonvoters back from voting due to the thought their opinion is less important than any other American vote, which just isn’t true. When voting, no matter who you are, you help make the difference by voicing your opinion.
Some might argue that no candidate running is qualified for that position, making it difficult for people to vote for what they believe in. This is a fair assessment but no excuse for not voting. When voting, it’s not about changing your political and moral beliefs for a candidate, but voting for the lesser evil (American University Magazine). It’s easy to feel emotional discomfort when voting for someone who doesn’t necessarily align with your values. Although the choice can feel more risky than meaningful, your voice does matter. It’s unlikely a candidate will be all you’re voting for. If you’re able to pinpoint the wrongs of each candidate, I guarantee you’ll be able to balance out and identify the benefits about each candidate.
As election season approaches, nonvoters should consider these statistics and start informing themselves on what they’re voting for because ultimately, when a candiate wins and negative, drastic changes start to occur in the country, that’s when you’ll start to think about the question, “Would my vote had made a difference?”
Sources:
https://www.cato.org/commentary/most-americans-are-scared-stiff-talk-politics-why
https://www.american.edu/magazine/article/which-is-worse-an-uninformed-voter-or-one-who-doesn-t-vote-at-all.cfm
https://theconversation.com/why-there-really-is-no-ethical-reason-not-to-vote-193612
The Moment Not Voting Stops Being Comfortable
By Lillian Basso ‘29
During election season, many people choose not to vote for a number of reasons: lack of information, emotional comfort, the appeal of avoiding conflict, and stepping away as a form of self protection. Although skipping the vote can seem like an easy way to avoid arguments and political stress, that comfort can come at a cost. In the long run, not voting can be more damaging than beneficial because it allows important decisions to be made without your voice.
According to TheConversation, nonvoters are twice as likely as active voters to say they do not feel they have enough information about candidates and issues to decide how to vote. A nonvoter is worse than an uninformed voter. There are various ways that people can start getting information on candidates and showing actual engagement. One way new information gets out there is through commercials, advertisements, campaigns, and literature in the mail. When you decide not to vote, you become disengaged and clueless on what new policies or regulations are changing.
When people think of politics, a common thing that comes to mind is conflict. 62% of Americans in 2020 said that the political climate prevented them from voting and speaking their truth due to the appeal of avoiding conflicts (CATOinstitute). Although some people cover their words and thoughts to avoid unnecessary offense, CATOinstitute discovered that other areas including race, income, gender, and sexuality hold nonvoters back from voting due to the thought their opinion is less important than any other American vote, which just isn’t true. When voting, no matter who you are, you help make the difference by voicing your opinion.
Some might argue that no candidate running is qualified for that position, making it difficult for people to vote for what they believe in. This is a fair assessment but no excuse for not voting. When voting, it’s not about changing your political and moral beliefs for a candidate, but voting for the lesser evil (American University Magazine). It’s easy to feel emotional discomfort when voting for someone who doesn’t necessarily align with your values. Although the choice can feel more risky than meaningful, your voice does matter. It’s unlikely a candidate will be all you’re voting for. If you’re able to pinpoint the wrongs of each candidate, I guarantee you’ll be able to balance out and identify the benefits about each candidate.
As election season approaches, nonvoters should consider these statistics and start informing themselves on what they’re voting for because ultimately, when a candiate wins and negative, drastic changes start to occur in the country, that’s when you’ll start to think about the question, “Would my vote had made a difference?”
Sources:
https://www.cato.org/commentary/most-americans-are-scared-stiff-talk-politics-why
https://www.american.edu/magazine/article/which-is-worse-an-uninformed-voter-or-one-who-doesn-t-vote-at-all.cfm
https://theconversation.com/why-there-really-is-no-ethical-reason-not-to-vote-193612