Written by Camryn Mahnken, graphic by Leanna Ordoñez

Everyone knows someone who doesn’t plan on voting.

There are lots of reasons why someone might not be participating in the upcoming election. Some of the examples I have heard are:

“I don’t really care about politics.” 

“I don’t know enough about the ballot measures.” 

“I think we’re choosing between the lesser of two evils.”

“I think my vote doesn’t matter.”

Have you had a friend or family member use these excuses to justify not voting? If you have, there are easy ways to combat that argument and encourage the people in your life to practice their civic duty and vote. Below, I’ve provided a short and simple rebuttal to each of those excuses.

I don’t really care about politics.

This reason begs the question of what exactly people think politics is. It’s easy to say you ‘don’t care’ if you see politics as people thousands of miles away arguing, never getting anything done. Whether we like it or not, we are all participants in the political system. It's up to us as individuals whether we are active or passive participants. I would challenge people to revisit the way they view politics. Politics can include ANY issue that affects the governance of our country, states, and cities. Do you care about the rights you have? About the way you receive medical care? About the way you pay taxes, and the way you’re paid by your employer? About the environment you live in, the air you breathe, or the roads you drive on? About your ability to get married and have children? About your safety in public? If you care about any of those things, then you actually do care about politics. Policy and legislation at the local and federal levels affect all of these things, so really, the world of politics is all around us. Different candidates will support different measures that affect the way you live on a larger scale than you might realize. If you’re a member of a marginalized community, you surely already know this. If you aren’t, realize that it is a point of privilege to ‘not care’ about politics when public policy can have extremely negative or positive effects on citizens’ everyday lives. 

I don’t know enough about the ballot measures.

This is a common reason for not voting, but one with a simple solution: Google! It is admirable to not want to make a decision without being informed. What is not reasonable, though, is choosing to remain uninformed while living in the age of information. Not knowing enough about ballot measures, candidates, or the issues in general is a choice. The facts and figures one needs to make an informed opinion, and therefore an informed vote, are readily available. There are many news sites that are nonpartisan and fair, dedicated to providing the public with information on voting measures. These websites are designed to help voters make unbiased, educated decisions. With some quick Google searches and some research, it is easy to become informed on everything on the ballot. Not only is it easy to become informed, it’s your responsibility and privilege. The right to vote has not come easy — for many, it was a battle fought tooth and nail. Don't let their effort be in vain. By choosing to remain uninformed and “stay out of politics” you pass up the opportunity to vote on ballot measures that directly affect you, especially at the local level, and to vote in the interest of underrepresented groups who may not be able to vote.

I think we’re choosing between the lesser of two evils.

To live in a democracy means to compromise. It’s unlikely there will never be a candidate that perfectly represents all of your personal values, as representative democracy has created a two-party system that does not always work for the individual. This leads some people to say that it’s better to just not vote at all than to pick between ‘the lesser of two evils.’ Some might suggest voting third party instead is a way to support a candidate who is closer to their values, even though that candidate has no chance of winning the election. But the fact of the matter remains: whatever side of the aisle you’re on, you have the responsibility to look at your resources and your beliefs and make an assessment as to which candidate aligns with you more. Take a look at the issues that are most important to you, learn where each candidate stands regarding them, and choose. There are fundamental issues in this country that will be more prevalent depending on the outcome of this election, regardless of how you feel about Trump or Biden. There is enough on the line that makes casting a vote for someone who you only kind-of support worth it. 

I think my vote doesn’t matter.

Voting is only pointless if we don’t do it. If we decide that our votes are pointless and choose to stay home, we are forfeiting our personal power to the people who did decide to vote. It’s easy to believe things won’t change regardless of who is in a position of power. It’s easy to believe your one vote won’t affect the results of an election. In a way, these things are true. Historically speaking, issues relating to civil rights and human rights show that people in power maintain the status quo, regardless of party affiliation — things are rarely changed by one specific candidate. But elections can be won narrowly, and have been before. One example of this is the 2000 Presidential election, in which George Bush beat Al Gore by a slim 537 votes in the state of Florida. This has happened several times on the state level as well, like the 2002 U.S. House of Representatives 2nd district of Connecticut being decided by 83 votes or the 2018 Illinois House of Representatives 54th district where the election was decided by a mere 37 votes. Though one single vote might not be the deciding factor, adding your vote to a sea of agreeing votes can sway an electoral decision.  

Secondly, if you’re a member of a community that is underrepresented in government, like young people, people of color, or low-income people, there is a significant gap between the turnout of voters from people in these groups versus the turnout of older, wealthy, white voters. There is strong evidence supporting the idea that more inclusive voting can lead to public policy more  representative of the people. The apparent bias in public policy is reflective of the fact that voting on election day is often less accessible for people in marginalized communities. If you’re able to vote, however, your voice is an important one to have. Voter turnout can correlate with all sorts of things from government funding to the distribution of government resources within states and counties. Representation matters. To see your voice represented, you must exercise the right to vote.

The next time someone you know tells you they don’t intend on voting, ask them why. Maybe they’re abstaining for one of these reasons, and if that’s the case, let them know that they have more power than they might know.