I’m too busy

I don’t know where to go to vote.

They’re all a bunch of crooks!

My vote doesn’t count!

Many of these lines and similar ones ran through the heads of millions of Americans who did not vote last Tuesday.

Of nearly 270 million people in the United States, 190 million are of voting age. Of that number, there are only about 95 million who voted in the last presidential election in 1996. For the first time since the 1920’s, fewer than 50 percent of people of voting age participated in a Presidential election. Fewer people show up at the polls to vote during the “midterm” Congressional elections like the one last week, and fewer still vote for their local office holders. We can not have a legitimate government that is elected by 49 percent of the population.

This non-participation rate puts the U.S. toward the bottom of the list of industrialized nations for voter turnout as a percentage of the voting age population. In some European countries and in Japan, the government provides citizens with voter registration as a service. Not so in the United States, but registration in this country is relatively easy. It is easier than dealing with those college applications you filled out, and it’s a lot easier than figuring out your tax forms, getting a driver’s license, or doing those nasty calculus problems.

To those who say “I don’t have time,” voting takes a maximum of 30 minutes. If you can’t find 30 minutes to do your civic duty, then fill out another user-friendly form and vote absentee. You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your dorm. To those who say “I don’t know where to go to vote,” you might have a good excuse. You can easily find out by calling your county bureau of elections. If you think you shouldn’t vote because politicians are all a bunch of crooks, the only way we can get rid of them is if enough people vote for another candidate. Your vote will bring us closer to voting crooks out of office. Finally, if you say that your vote doesn’t count, shame on you. The only votes that do not count are the ones that are never cast.

I urge everyone to register to vote and to vote in the next election. If you’re from another state, or if it’s too far away to go vote in person, get an absentee ballot. Voting is your right, and your views should be respected in Washington, in state capitals, and in local government.

On September 3, 1998, before approximately 2,000 witnesses, I raised my right hand and reaffirmed an oath for the third time that if necessary, I would lay down my life to preserve your right to tell me it is too much of an inconvenience to choose your own leaders. I am a member of the Armed Forces of the United States. When the call is made, I have no choice. You do. You can vote to install qualified leaders who will work for the best interests of this nation, or you can allow our country to be dominated by special interests and lobbyists. The choice is yours.

This article originally appeared in the Franklin & Marshall College Reporter.