Why Many Americans Don't Vote | Hacker News Reader

Why Many Americans Don't Vote

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17 pointsadrian_mrd8 comments

Because we don't have a system where you can vote our conscience. Instead we have a system where we are shamed into voting for the one we think can win. And who wants to vote for the lesser of two evils (in some cases), it just isn't that passion-inducing.

If we really want more American's to vote we will prioritize Ranked Choice Voting/RCV (or better (https://ncase.me/ballot/)) ASAP, with vote verification.

We want to make every voter feel and know that their vote counts. And we will also do that with a fully auditable. open source voting system with a paper trail.

This needs to be done at the local level en mass first. Then move up to state and then federal level.

People put some hate on Australia for mandatory voting: it's actually only really mandatory turning up: you can ruin your ballot paper.

That said, compulsory voting isn't a panacea but it does reduce the impact of apathy.

Whilst I don't take an active interest in our government (Australia). Due to the requirement to vote it does make you think each year, well if I do have to vote then where should I put my vote? And I do use sites such as isidewith.com to understand better not only the current issues in our country, but who fits closer with my views and what changes I'd like to see.

I then vote from there. Additionally, because we all have to vote a lot more people at least have the conversation around who they're voting for.

That approach may not work in the US as from what we have seen, Americans don't take well to things when they're mandatory.

A) Because voting is a pain in the ass (In texas where i am, you have to register by printing out a piece of paper, and mailing it in, and then driving to a polling location and voting).

And

B) For the average person, they believe voting does nothing to affect their lives (D or R, they are all crooked, that is the belief of the average person).

The biggest reason people don't vote in national elections in the USA --- in many cases, it is a senseless exercise with zero impact on the outcome.

Example: A Republican vote in a heavily Democratic state will have zero impact on the outcome --- and vice versa.

It is only in a handful of "swing" states where your vote is likely to have any real impact. South Carolina is voting Republican, California is voting Democratic. I'm not psychic, just realistic. The outcome is not in doubt. Vote or not, the results will be the same.

When people talk about eliminating the electoral college, I always wonder what impact that might have on voter turnout. I can only imagine that democrats in Texas and republicans in California just stay home because they don’t think their vote matters.

Democrats in Texas may not be so marginal after this election.

Texas has been predicted to become a tossup state within 20 years, and this year it is close enough to be flipped by good turnout.

And if the GOP loses Texas as a bulwark, they become marginalized.

Registering to vote also opens you up to a lot more spam and depending on your county makes you more likely to get jury duty.

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