I wrote the following for a mailing list on Election Day, 2000. Sadly, not much has changed. It's a more or less accurate reconstruction of a conversation I had the night before the election. "They" are a person in their late 20s (at the time), employed, and college-educated.
Me: "So, ready to vote tomorrow?"
They: "No."
M: "Still 'undecided?'"
T: "No. I don't vote."
M: "...wow, ever?"
T: "No."
M: "Can I ask why not?"
T: "I just think it's pointless."
M: "Well, it's true that Texas is going to Bush, but there are a bunch of local races that are pretty interesting."
T: "I don't have time to follow all that stuff."
M: "You don't care about the arena deal?"
T: "No."
M: "Don't care about Bentsen vs. Sudan?"
T: "Who?"
M: "So you don't view voting as a civic responsibility so much as, say, a pain in the ass?"
T: "And who has time to go anyway? I can't take off from work early just to go vote."
M: "You know, the poll's are open until 7."
T: "..."
M: "And they open at 7 in the morning."
T: "I'm not getting up at 5:30 in the morning to vote."
M: "You know, I think I'm going to go get a drink."
And I did.
Get out there and vote your conscience, everyone. And lacking a conscience, go ahead and vote for Bush.
"And God bless the United States of America." - Elwood Blues
Two votes for Kerry in Texas, me and my girlfriend. If Texas is going to go to the Shrub, we'll at least try and make it a pain in the ass for him.
It took me an hour and a half to vote this morning. The polls are still packed.
I voted for Kerry. My wife is cancelling me out as I write.
She shows a lot of spunk, being that some neighborhood kids slashed her tires last night.
Hooligans.
She shows a lot of spunk, being that some neighborhood kids slashed her tires last night.
You serious? What for?
Our polling place was pretty empty at 7:45. I was voter #60, though.
Two more votes for Kerry in Houston. I know Bush will carry Texas, but it would be a small victory if the smirking, fatuous prick lost Harris County at least.
Pete, they only charged me fifty bucks.
Voted early, voted often. Took the time to figure out how to write in a vote using the Harris County machines. Let me just say that if every ballot save mine were lost, then 1) there would be a lot of Democrat officeholders around, 2) the office of the Railroad Commission would cease to exist, and 3) a large number of positions with Republicans running unopposed would suddenly all be filled by Fats Domino.
My husband, son and I placed the only three votes for John Kerry in the state of Utah. Oh, and Utah is also one of the cretinous states to vote in favor of a proposition to add an amendment to the state constitution opposing gay marriage. Dear God in heaven, get me the Hell outta here!
Two votes for Kerry in Virginia (mine and the wife's)! I'll have to say, the polls were packed this morning at 6:00 and I think they will go strong all day long. There were actually more women voting than men, so that maybe a good indicator for Kerry. Also, it doesn't hurt that the Packers won this weekend. Cheers, and do the civic thing you do so well.