Opinion | Why I Don’t Vote
Blog Update: July 4, 2024 - 5:03 a.m. Eastern Time
Mr. Walther manages The Lamp, a publication focused on Catholic literature, and he also writes articles for the Opinion section.
Choosing not to do something is becoming popular. Many articles talk about the advantages of not drinking, not eating certain foods, not having sex, or not using too much water for your garden. The only thing people aren't being told to avoid is the one thing I've easily given up - voting.
"Why do people even bother voting?" I ponder. It seems unlikely that we think our individual vote will actually sway the results of an election. Even if I did cast my vote, it wouldn't make much of a difference. This was evident in the State of Florida during the 2000 presidential election, where the margins were in the hundreds, not just a few votes. Essentially, voting seems to be meaningless.
Those of us who proudly wear the temperance ribbon often hear the same tired response: "If everyone did what you're doing, no one would vote. Then what?" But the truth is, I am not in charge of everyone's voting decisions. We don't live in a time like England before the Reform Bill of 1832, where a couple of wealthy gentlemen in Dunwich could control the votes of many. With universal suffrage, the chances of everyone following my lead are slim to none.
I think that many voters would agree with this idea, even though they might not express it in the same way. The reasons they have for voting are not mainly about the impact of their vote, but more about the value they place on the act of voting.
As I was growing up, I was always reminded that voting was something everyone should do as a citizen. But I never fully grasped the weight of this idea. The concept of civic duty has been interpreted in many different ways throughout history. In the past, some people saw it as their civic duty to capture escaped slaves. Others believed it meant joining eugenics groups or even fighting against the Pope if needed. For me, civic duty just means following the law and paying taxes. Everyone may have a different understanding of what it means to fulfill their civic duty.
When people have nothing else to rely on, they often turn to patriotism as a last resort. However, it can be argued that civic duty is actually the most fundamental responsibility. This sentiment is often expressed by individuals who are enthusiastic about getting others involved in the political process, such as those who distribute voter registration forms to random people. Personally, I find this type of behavior to be just as unappealing as being asked to apply for a gun permit.
Encouraging people to vote is seen as a civic duty, even in advertising campaigns that claim to be neutral. These campaigns target young people and voters who may not be very informed or motivated to vote. When MTV first promoted their "rock the vote" campaign in the 1990s, they probably weren't expecting President George H.W. Bush to win by a landslide. Similarly, when activist stickers tell us to "just vote," it doesn't necessarily mean voting for a specific party. In fact, if you strongly oppose a candidate and believe they could be a threat to democracy, you might encourage people to do anything else instead of voting for them.
The reasoning behind being a sports fan helps us understand better. When people vote, they are showing a similar type of support, not necessarily because they believe their vote will determine the outcome, but because it's just what they do. This is similar to how the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump were perceived by many of their strongest supporters. For these individuals, what the presidents would actually achieve in office was not as important as the feeling of unity and excitement that came from supporting them.
This phenomenon can also be seen in the voting behavior of many Americans who choose third-party candidates knowing that they have little chance of winning. This voting choice is a way for them to express their opinions and beliefs.
What about those of us who stay off the bandwagon? If voting is a way to express oneself, then surely the same can be said for not voting. My lack of interest in voting reflects my belief that the major issues in American society are deeply rooted and systemic. I can't ignore the fact that things like financialization, environmental destruction, drug addiction, the decline of public services, and the dominance of digital media are turning this country into a desolate place - and no elected president can change that in my lifetime.
Out of all the reasons I have heard for why voting is important, my favorite is the idea that if you don't vote, you can't complain about politicians. Even though this reasoning doesn't totally convince me (you're still affected by a bad president whether you voted or not), I appreciate it because it brings to mind memories of my great-grandmother. Over 50 years ago, she would tell my great-grandfather to get up from the couch and go cancel out each other's votes. She was a hopeful Rockefeller Republican and he was a steadfast United Automobile Workers Democrat. For her, voting was like a permission slip to criticize those in power.
I wholeheartedly disagree with the sentiment expressed by Great-Grandma Ruth. In my opinion, the idea that we should not criticize our leaders goes against the core principles of living in a free country. One of the greatest things about living in a place like this is the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions about those in power. Our leaders did not come into their positions through divine right or by forcibly taking control. They are there because of the collective actions of the people, regardless of whether or not we supported them in the latest elections.
Matthew Walther writes articles and opinions for The New York Times. He also edits a Catholic literary journal called The Lamp and is a media fellow at the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.
