Joy and Austin 24

[Rachel333]

2 hours ago, SorenaJ said:

Honestly there should be a mini test before being allowed to vote. A lot of people have no idea what they're even voting on, and what it means. 

There was a literacy test for many decades, primarily as a way of suppressing the black vote. Even if the intention is different, I would hate to see anything like that come back. I do understand the sentiment, but it just seems too dangerous.

[laPapessaGiovanna]

1 hour ago, Rachel333 said:

There was a literacy test for many decades, primarily as a way of suppressing the black vote. Even if the intention is different, I would hate to see anything like that come back. I do understand the sentiment, but it just seems too dangerous.

Thank you for pointing out. Voting is a civil RIGHT everyone is entitled to. It means you get to give someone the mandate to defend  your interests and advance your ideas in your country's public sphere. It can't be tied in any way to an idea of "worthiness" or we are going to ditch the democracy for an oligarchy.

BUT, in my not humble at all opinion, voting is also a civil DUTY, that means that everyone should vote and everyone should be entitled to and be required to attend a free and public civics course every ten years, to refresh memory and catch up with laws changes that may affect the prerogative of elected representatives or constitutional laws changes etc. Said civics course should also be part of mandatory school curriculum.

Personally I am deeply convinced that EDUCATION is the only way forward for a better democracy. But voting should never ever be tied to any special requirement such as passing an exam, that would be the perfect way to create an elite of citizens that are more equal than others.

[SapphireSlytherin]

50 minutes ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

Said civics course should also be part of mandatory school curriculum.

I took civics (required by my state) for one semester in 9th grade. That's it. That's all that was required. And all that was offered.

[VelociRapture]

@laPapessaGiovanna Can we skip the class and just do an adorable internet video from School House Rocks or something instead? I’d rather be comfy in my pajamas on the couch with my kid then awkwardly squeezed into an auditorium somewhere with a bunch of strangers, especially since mass shootings are a thing here and I’d prefer to avoid a large indoor gathering concerning politics out of a sense of self preservation. 

(And yes, I know just how exceptionally lazy and paranoid that sounds. I’m pretty disenchanted with our political system right now though - thanks GOP! - and while I’ll continue voting, doing my best to research the candidates, and contacting them about the issues I just really don’t want to do more than necessary right now because it hurts my heart and makes me feel pretty anxious.)

[Meggo]

10 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Not snarky at all, genuinely curious...what is that people like about the stickers?

I never knew anyone cared about them until this thread, I just saw them as another example of government waste.

I've always declined...and one year some over zealous old lady stuck one directly on my jacket and I gave her the biggest wtf look ever as i peeled it off and left it crumpled on her table.  Don't sticky people against their will!

Anyway, I'm curious as to why so many here love them so much.  

A friend of mine lives in Alaska & they are apparently getting really cool "I voted" stickers- they look like little pieces of art honestly. I'd be down for that. 

When I dropped off my ballot for 2016 - I took my son in with me (important to show kids about voting - even if they're only three) and HE got a sticker too. He was delighted. And I still have MY sticker from that day up on my visor in my car. 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

1 hour ago, VelociRapture said:

@laPapessaGiovanna Can we skip the class and just do an adorable internet video from School House Rocks or something instead? I’d rather be comfy in my pajamas on the couch with my kid then awkwardly squeezed into an auditorium somewhere with a bunch of strangers, especially since mass shootings are a thing here and I’d prefer to avoid a large indoor gathering concerning politics out of a sense of self preservation. 

(And yes, I know just how exceptionally lazy and paranoid that sounds. I’m pretty disenchanted with our political system right now though - thanks GOP! - and while I’ll continue voting, doing my best to research the candidates, and contacting them about the issues I just really don’t want to do more than necessary right now because it hurts my heart and makes me feel pretty anxious.)

I was thinking something more on the lines of a driving licence theory class. I don't know how it works in the US, but here it's a class you can attend on your terms in the place and time you prefer and usually it doesn't involve a huge number of people. It could be offered on line too. And no exam at the end, of course.

In my utopic vision it should be a bare, matter-of -fact, apolitical thing.

I know it's utopian, but still, it doesn't seem so out there to me. But, you know, I think people should be entitled to their ID, so yeah I am a dangerous communist or something.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

5 hours ago, bal maiden said:

why does checking a box once every couple of years earn you a right to complain, when you are not doing anything else?

Paying taxes gives everyone the right to complain whether you vote or not.  It's our money and just because you don't vote doesn't mean you can't complain when it's squandered....especially since there is no party to vote for that won't.

[karen77]

We are almost done voting. Just have to figure out how to vote on a few of the initiatives. Those are usually harder than the candidates!

[Mama Mia]

18 hours ago, Alachantal said:

I'm glad you feel as if my choices are "shitty". Fortunately, that makes absolutely zero difference in my life and definitely does not encourage me to take time out of my busy schedule to vote. I'm glad you believe in voting just as much as I am happy I am not obligated to do so. 

If you don't vote, you don't get to bitch. So I'll bitch until Trudeau gets voted out of office and then I'll go back to not caring - unless they can find a suitable candidate that leans the way I do, of course, although that is incredibly unlikely. 

I may get down voted, or whatever, but I agree you shouldn’t feel pressured to vote. I vote every election, and often volunteer, and donate - and waste a great deal of my life arguing politics on twitter. I think voting is hugely important - BUT- I also think that there are some valid reasons people don’t - Especially in the US, where there are, realistically, only two choices.

1- Maybe you can’t stand any of the choices. Why should you be forced to “support” candidate A who you think is only 1% less bad than candidate B.

2- Maybe you have a mix of very strong views. Say you are very conservative on economics, but very liberal on social issues. Or Vice Versa. I personally know people who fall into those categories. 

3- Maybe your views are even more mixed. Maybe your most passionate issue is gun rights, but you agree with the other guys on almost everything else. 

4- Maybe you think party A is great on social, party B is great on taxes and BOTH of them suck on war mongering. 

5- Maybe sometimes your vote just really makes no difference. I voted in 16. But because of the electoral college my vote counted about 1/80th of someone from the least populated state. And it was 100% certain who would win my state’s EC votes anyway. For Senate- my choices were two virtually indistinguishable good choices, both Democrats, both women, both WOC -and once in the Senate their voice would represent 40 million people with equal power to voices representing 600,000. There was the recreational marijuana initiative, that was good. 

So I understand why people don’t vote. Although I do, and hope you do too.

 

 

 

[church_of_dog]

13 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Not snarky at all, genuinely curious...what is that people like about the stickers?

I never knew anyone cared about them until this thread, I just saw them as another example of government waste.

I've always declined...and one year some over zealous old lady stuck one directly on my jacket and I gave her the biggest wtf look ever as i peeled it off and left it crumpled on her table.  Don't sticky people against their will!

Anyway, I'm curious as to why so many here love them so much.  

I am a pollworker and am always a bit surprised at how eager people are for the stickers!

Also, where I live there are several nearby precincts that are vote-by-mail only, and lots of those folks bring us their sealed ballot on election day instead of dropping it in the mail.  Sometimes it's because they want a sticker, or a cookie which we always have available.  Sometimes I think it's just to feel more participatory with the process by stopping in to the 'official' place on election day.

I enjoy being a pollworker, and since I live in a place where I am opposed to most of the locals' political slant, this is one of the few 'patriotic' things I can authentically participate in locally.  

[Cheetah]

40 minutes ago, Mama Mia said:

I may get down voted, or whatever, but I agree you shouldn’t feel pressured to vote. I vote every election, and often volunteer, and donate - and waste a great deal of my life arguing politics on twitter. I think voting is hugely important - BUT- I also think that there are some valid reasons people don’t - Especially in the US, where there are, realistically, only two choices.

1- Maybe you can’t stand any of the choices. Why should you be forced to “support” candidate A who you think is only 1% less bad than candidate B.

2- Maybe you have a mix of very strong views. Say you are very conservative on economics, but very liberal on social issues. Or Vice Versa. I personally know people who fall into those categories. 

3- Maybe your views are even more mixed. Maybe your most passionate issue is gun rights, but you agree with the other guys on almost everything else. 

4- Maybe you think party A is great on social, party B is great on taxes and BOTH of them suck on war mongering. 

5- Maybe sometimes your vote just really makes no difference. I voted in 16. But because of the electoral college my vote counted about 1/80th of someone from the least populated state. And it was 100% certain who would win my state’s EC votes anyway. For Senate- my choices were two virtually indistinguishable good choices, both Democrats, both women, both WOC -and once in the Senate their voice would represent 40 million people with equal power to voices representing 600,000. There was the recreational marijuana initiative, that was good. 

So I understand why people don’t vote. Although I do, and hope you do too.

 

 

 

Sounds like you are from my state :-).  I just spent an hour on my mail-in ballot yesterday and still left a couple of them blank (judge-ships and one of the propositions). 

But wanted to say, I wish 'none of the above' was an option.  My oldest kid is now old enough to vote and my middle one will be by the next presidential primary and I've been telling both of them that it's not like homework where you have to do all of the problems to turn it in... you can do the ones you care about and leave the rest blank.  The CA ballot can be pretty overwhelming if you feel like you have to put a real effort in for every question.  And then if you are really on the fence even about the big offices like Senate or President, it would be nice to be able to record that you came out and voted and didn't like any of the candidates, rather than that you didn't bother voting.   That might at least prompt the parties to try harder next time.  (Well, or not, but one could hope). 

[Coconutwater]

When I voted in 2016, I found out Rick Scott was making people throw out the absentee ballots. I’m not currently in Florida so it makes me weary of going through that if it’s just going in the trash. 

[Meggo]

20 minutes ago, Coconutwater said:

When I voted in 2016, I found out Rick Scott was making people throw out the absentee ballots. I’m not currently in Florida so it makes me weary of going through that if it’s just going in the trash. 

I have heard something like this - something that made me feel like absentee ballots were only counted if they'd break a tie. Which doesn't seem right. I get it mathematically but.. my ballot has been there for a week now - PLENTY of time to count it before all the others come in. 

I skipped some spots on the ballot this time around. I sometimes skip proposals about property taxes - because I don't live in my state and don't feel like it's really fair to be voting to increase someone else's property tax... I also couldn't find ANY (unbiased) information about a few different people in some offices and I didn't want to take chance. 
I don't like primaries in my state because I have to register as a party and then vote straight party ticket. Sometimes I like to give someone else a shot, you know? Plus - which ballot does the independent candidate go on? 

[Coconutwater]

29 minutes ago, Meggo said:

I have heard something like this - something that made me feel like absentee ballots were only counted if they'd break a tie. Which doesn't seem right. I get it mathematically but.. my ballot has been there for a week now - PLENTY of time to count it before all the others come in. 

I skipped some spots on the ballot this time around. I sometimes skip proposals about property taxes - because I don't live in my state and don't feel like it's really fair to be voting to increase someone else's property tax... I also couldn't find ANY (unbiased) information about a few different people in some offices and I didn't want to take chance. 
I don't like primaries in my state because I have to register as a party and then vote straight party ticket. Sometimes I like to give someone else a shot, you know? Plus - which ballot does the independent candidate go on? 

As much as I want to vote, for these reasons as well, I can’t this go around. I’m still in school and can’t change my residency to the state I’m currently in because I’m moving back within a year. I have no idea about the independent. 

[MoonFace]

I think I hang out here too much.   I had a dream last night that I was a bridesmaid at Joy's wedding.   I was wearing a soft pink gown.   Joy was wearing a hippy styled burlap gown with embroidered flowers at the neck (Very modest style, of course)   However, there were fundies sneaking booze in to the wedding.   

It was really interesting but REALLY?   Dreaming about these people?   SMH

I have better things in my life than this.  Honest. 

[Meggo]

1 hour ago, Coconutwater said:

As much as I want to vote, for these reasons as well, I can’t this go around. I’m still in school and can’t change my residency to the state I’m currently in because I’m moving back within a year. I have no idea about the independent. 

You should still be able to get an absentee ballot... maybe. Unless the time has passed in your state? 

My state gives me one every year and I have NO plans (currently) to move back.

[Coconutwater]

4 minutes ago, Meggo said:

You should still be able to get an absentee ballot... maybe. Unless the time has passed in your state? 

My state gives me one every year and I have NO plans (currently) to move back.

I can definitely get one, I just have to print out the form and sign it. I plan on doing it this week. 

[Audrey2]

I wish that none of the above would be an option to vote. If none of the above got the majority of the votes, then each party would have a much shorter amount of time to have a new candidate campaign.

[SapphireSlytherin]

15 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

I wish that none of the above would be an option to vote. If none of the above got the majority of the votes, then each party would have a much shorter amount of time to have a new candidate campaign.

There actually is an "none of the above" option:  it's called a write-in vote. I've used it on more than one occasion when I just couldn't stomach a vote for any of the ballot-approved candidates.

[Audrey2]

15 minutes ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

There actually is an "none of the above" option:  it's called a write-in vote. I've used it on more than one occasion when I just couldn't stomach a vote for any of the ballot-approved candidates.

Unfortunately, write-ins are very rarely elected. Under my system, this would get rid of both parties' nominations and hopefully they would do a better job nominating.

[SapphireSlytherin]

15 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

write-ins are very rarely elected.

Yep. I'm aware. But it's still better (to me) to write in a name of someone I think is capable of doing a better job than the ones whose parties got them on the ballot. lol

[QuiverFullofBooks]

My (early voting) polling place had gourmet jelly beans and Chex mix and goldfish crackers - three of my favorites! Yay democracy! I also got a sticker.

[xlurker]

20 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Yes, I believe in many cases elections are bought and sold and have fuck all to do with people who schlep down to the polls

And I also believe, no matter what side of the fence you fall on, that that fact came closer to the surface in this past presidential election than ever before.  You get to vote for who the parties put before you--it is chosen.  Bernie got the short end of the stick. And Trump? not exactly sure how he pulled it off when the party was so clearly NOT behind him.  Money, I guess.

I vote. I research. I don't listen to the 10 second sound bites, or facebook. And when I watch the news I watch ALL the news--from MSNBC to FOX to the BBC, I want to be informed from all sides so I can make my own decisions.   Still comes out to be the lesser of two evils.  

I have voted in every election since I was 18....all those hours of research!  Still feel as if it is my duty, weather or not it turns out my way.   However it turns out, I know that in 4 years we get to do it again.  

[SassyPants]

2 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

There actually is an "none of the above" option:  it's called a write-in vote. I've used it on more than one occasion when I just couldn't stomach a vote for any of the ballot-approved candidates.

In my state you can not write in candidates in a general election-

[JordynDarby5]

7 hours ago, Mama Mia said:

I may get down voted, or whatever, but I agree you shouldn’t feel pressured to vote. I vote every election, and often volunteer, and donate - and waste a great deal of my life arguing politics on twitter. I think voting is hugely important - BUT- I also think that there are some valid reasons people don’t - Especially in the US, where there are, realistically, only two choices.

1- Maybe you can’t stand any of the choices. Why should you be forced to “support” candidate A who you think is only 1% less bad than candidate B.

2- Maybe you have a mix of very strong views. Say you are very conservative on economics, but very liberal on social issues. Or Vice Versa. I personally know people who fall into those categories. 

3- Maybe your views are even more mixed. Maybe your most passionate issue is gun rights, but you agree with the other guys on almost everything else. 

4- Maybe you think party A is great on social, party B is great on taxes and BOTH of them suck on war mongering. 

5- Maybe sometimes your vote just really makes no difference. I voted in 16. But because of the electoral college my vote counted about 1/80th of someone from the least populated state. And it was 100% certain who would win my state’s EC votes anyway. For Senate- my choices were two virtually indistinguishable good choices, both Democrats, both women, both WOC -and once in the Senate their voice would represent 40 million people with equal power to voices representing 600,000. There was the recreational marijuana initiative, that was good. 

So I understand why people don’t vote. Although I do, and hope you do too.

 

 

 

Those tend to be the reasons I hear the most about not voting. Which are very valid. I say one if not all those things almost every time I vote.  It doesn't seem like my vote counts for much and usually the candidate from each party I either can't stand or both seem equally stupid I really don't know which one is the "better" candidate.  My mom and I joked together every election we're not entirely sure we aren't voting for the village idiots. Before Trump I tended to be disgusted with both parties. It doesn't really seem to change our lives either way. They don't really seem to get better. But I keep voting. Every once in awhile it actually does do something. I voted two years ago that help to finally get funding for public schools in my area I don't know who was more shocked it go approved me or my sister-in-law teacher. The schools have been needing that since I went to those schools. They have put things on the ballot for years to try and get more funding for them and were always defeated. Two years ago they finally got it. It felt really nice to have a positive effect on something. I doubt it'll ever happen again but I'll kept trying and voting.