No excuse to not vote

Election day: the one day every two years where we drive to the fire station and overthrow the government — and there is not a policeman in the street.

I love election day. I love the fact every two years, we have an opportunity to improve our country. I love the fact for one day, I have the same voice as anyone else.

I don’t want to sound overly patriotic with this column, but with election day coming up, I feel like there is something I need to address.

By all means: go vote next Tuesday.

Is this the most important election of all time? No. Will your life likely be dramatically impacted by whose name you check by the State Auditor? Probably not.

But there is still no reason not to vote.

Voting gives you the opportunity to hold the current politicians accountable for their actions, and elect new people to better your community.

After talking with people, and looking on Facebook, there are many people who are not going to vote. The reasons why not vary from person to person, but I am going to take some time to address most popular excuses people use to not vote.

Elections are negative

There is always a lot of negativity towards the elections, and with good reason. Chances are, your TV might be flooded with political attack ads, everywhere you look there is a political sign wanting you to elect someone you don’t know for a job you don’t care about.

It can get hectic and annoying. As a person whose job it is to follow the attacks and political issues, it’s pretty annoying to me too.

But if that is what frustrates you, then find the candidates who are using the attack ads and don’t vote for them. It is as simple as that.

I don’t know the issues

That’s fine, but I find it hard to believe you are totally unaware of any issue out there. You live in America, even if you live way off in the boonies, there is an elected official who has control of your way of life.

All it takes is some research. Look online, write to the candidates, call them — they won’t be bothered by you. Right now, candidates will do almost anything to get your vote, and they will, at the very least, send you a pamphlet on their issues.

Or you could take a gander at our election section in this very issue of the Saratoga Sun *hint, hint*

I don’t care

Good. Cast an empty ballot.

I am not kidding, you can do that.

If you really do not care about an election, show that you don’t. Believe me, when an unopposed candidate only gets a few votes in their favor, they listen to that.

But at least make an effort to show you really don’t care.

My vote doesn’t matter, so I am not going to vote

Worst. Argument. Ever.

So in order to show the system your vote doesn’t matter, you are going to show it really doesn’t matter by not casting a ballot at all?

It only sounds ridiculous because it is.

Look, is your vote going to swing the U.S. Senator’s election this year? No. But on the local level, votes often come down to 10 ballots. Your vote can be the difference in the mayoral or a town council election in Saratoga.

With 52 people, there is no way anyone in Riverside can argue their vote doesn’t matter.

Don’t like anyone running? Write yourself in. Write a neighbor in — I do not care. Just vote.

Is what I write going to make everyone sprint to the polls next Tuesday? Probably not. But if it makes one person vote who normally wouldn’t, then I’ll call it a success.

So folks, get out and vote. You have absolutely no reason to skip out on it this year. If you need more convincing, I am in the office typically from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.