Does Voting Really Matter?

As I travel around Happy Valley these days, the detritus from last week’s election keeps catching my eye – the signs in yards, at street corners, and along the roadways.

The silent exhortation to vote staring me in the face even after the day of destiny has passed.

Before I go any further, let me be perfectly clear about one thing: I did vote. As I have in virtually every election since the late 1970’s when I became eligible.

I easily remember my first presidential election vote in 1980. I cast my ballot for John B. Anderson and his running mate Patrick Lucey. As a student at Penn State I took the rebellious spirit to heart and voted for an Independent candidate instead of Ronald Reagan, which was in serious opposition to my upbringing. Where I was raised everyone was a Republican. We knew Democrats existed only because we saw them on TV.

But as I have been passing these election signs for seven days, I started thinking back on almost 40 years of doing my duty as a citizen, and I wonder: Does my act of voting really matter?

Well of course it matters! It has been instilled in me for decades that I have a right to vote and I need to exercise that right. We live in a democracy and the people’s voice and participation is required for its survival. It is my duty and responsibility to vote.

That mantra – voting is our duty and responsibility – is hammered home time and time again to all of us throughout our lives. In school, through the media, in mailings, by nonprofit organizations. It’s hammered home to such a degree that it can make you feel poorly about yourself if you don’t vote. Why, you didn’t get your “I Voted” sticker? How shameful.

However, as I’ve learned, when everyone is shouting one thing, it might not be because it’s correct, but because that’s what someone wants you to think. Maybe not voting is a valid choice. Maybe you shouldn’t be shamed for choices you make.

Let’s examine this theory.

First, a majority of people don’t vote. Especially in the “municipal elections” held in odd-numbered years. In the last five municipal elections, the number of Centre County residents who voted never exceeded 30,000. In a county with a current population of over 158,000. Less than one-in-five humans living here had their voice heard. In spite of that, somehow life and government go on.

The subset to that point is for almost all offices there’s a distinct possibility that it doesn’t matter who gets elected anyway with regards to the day-to-day functioning of government. Think about all the offices on this recent election ballot and imagine if someone else had been in that office for the past two, four, six, eight years. Trials would have gone on, wills would have been registered, and the constabulary would have constabled. Sure, a few headlines might not have happened, but would their absence have truly affected most of our lives? No, they likely would not.

Second, the contention that we live in a “democracy” and your voice needs to be heard is a moving target. Whose voice can be heard has changed significantly in our country’s history. In 1870 voting was extended to men regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” It wasn’t until 1920 that half the population – women – got the right to vote. Then in 1971, 18-to-20-year-olds became eligible to vote. And through all those changes, democracy survived. Perhaps in another half-century elections will take place online or through a yet-to-be-invented means and anyone older than five will have a say.

Third, when was the last time you did (or didn’t) cast a ballot in an election that a candidate won or lost by one vote? Probably never. Statisticians make extremely educated guesses about our wants and desires using sample sizes drastically smaller than the 20 percent of Centre County residents who vote. If a pollster was given a sample size of 20 percent of the demographic they were polling, the margin-of-error on such a sample would be extremely small. Consequently, if 20 percent of the population casts a ballot, that’s generally enough of a snapshot to determine the wishes of the electorate at large.

Fourth, are you truly making an informed decision? Can you articulate the differences between candidates for every office on the ballot? I can’t and I consider myself somewhat educated in topics political. There’s barely time in your day to get in sleep, work, food, and kids. Spending the hours of research necessary to make even a partially informed decision is simply not feasible and the return-on-investment as demonstrated by your governments continued functioning is, well, questionable at best.

Lastly, why are we voting for some of these offices? Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills, Prothonotary… these could easily be political appointments reserved for the winner(s) of some higher office. Plus, of the 15 offices on my ballot in last week’s election, five were foregone conclusions due to no opposition and one had no candidate.

Look, I will continue to vote because I’m fairly certain it’s an ingrained character flaw. And I am cognizant my supposition that not voting is OK flies in the face of truth, justice, and the American way.

But if you don’t get to the polls for whatever reason – no desire to cast an uninformed vote, busy life, whatever – you have made a choice you should feel comfortable with. Especially if you put the voluminous time you would need to spend learning about the candidates and the issues to other good uses – spending time with family, volunteering, going to school, or meditating.

Why, who knows, maybe low voter turnout will finally spur politicians to rethink the whole government process in a way that not only ensures greater participation in democracy, but saves us a few tax dollars as well!