Another election is coming up, but I’m staying on the sidelines. I exercise my right not to vote. Here’s an old video that explains why I don’t vote…
Why I Don’t Vote
I’m open to changing my mind. I might make a trip to a ballot box down the road. However, these points still hold. And I’m surprised that so many people wrote positive comments (300+ comments).
Most times when I say I don’t vote (to people in person), people double take. I’ll often hear these responses…
- That’s un-American. Millions have died to protect your right to vote.
- This is the most important election.
- If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.
I’ll answer these today and you’ll gain a better understanding of voting. I strive to take emotion out of debates. With that in mind, let’s first look at the benefits of voting…
Why is Voting Important in a Democracy?
Voting is not only important for a democracy, it’s required. Without voting, we wouldn’t have a democracy. However, there have been many flavors throughout history…
How often do you think of the Roman Empire? Yes 🙂
There are many lessons we can learn from Roman history. Roughly 2,000 years ago the Empire peaked and leading up to this, it was a huge innovator of governance. It started to decentralize power at scale. Land-owning men had the ability to vote for representatives. And this Roman Republic structure (a form of democracy) helped lead to both its rise… and impending doom.
Does the Roman Grain Dole parallel the current welfare state? I’ll show you downsides of democracy below (this ties into one of the reasons why I don’t vote).
Fast forward to modern day and the U.S. is a leading world power. You can also chalk this up to it taking democracy a few steps further. In the short history of the U.S., we’ve seen many changes…
“and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address 1863
After this famous speech, it took more than 50 years for women to gain the right to vote (19th amendment ratified in 1919). This recent history helps show why voting is important. There are many benefits to giving more people a voice and control. However…
As you’ll find below, democracy is far from perfect. It’s messy with many tradeoffs. I’ll show you why I don’t vote… but don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to have the ability to vote.
Democracy is the best we’ve come up with at scale. As a student of history, it’s hard to refute this point. As countries have opened decision making and control, innovation and living standards climb. This gives more ownership and creates stronger incentives to create value for others.
Side Thought: If you’re against big companies and monopolies, how can you not be against the government? It’s the biggest monopoly in the land. It’s also the only monopoly of force. If you don’t pay your taxes and comply with other rules, Uncle Sam will lock you up. This might come off strong, but I intend it to be thought provoking. There are many pros and cons to various government control. Finding the right balance is the tough part.
3 Reasons Why I Don’t Vote
1. Voting Statistics: Your Vote is Counted but it Doesn’t Count
There are reasons why companies pay actuaries and data scientists big bucks. Their skills are transferable across industries and help businesses uncover valuable trends. They’re always looking at cause and effect relationships. And on the federal level, they would tell you that your vote has virtually no effect on the outcome of a presidential election. It’s not statistically significant.
In the 2020 presidential election, more than 150 million Americans voted. Based on that number, your vote would have made up less than 0.0000007% of the total. And of course, if you live in a swing state this can change the impact of your vote… but my point doesn’t change. Your presidential vote is counted but it doesn’t count for much.
Counter Argument: If everyone thought this way, no one would vote.
My Response: It might be a good thing that everyone doesn’t think this way and if the number of voters dropped, I’d be more compelled to vote (and research the candidates). That’s why I’m more likely to vote in local elections.
2. You’re (Probably) Not as Informed as You Think
Would you rather have 10 doctors diagnose your illness or 10,000 citizens? I’m guessing you want the doctors. Now let’s extend this logic to diagnosing America’s issues and keeping the nation healthy.
Our nation is much more complex than a single human body. Do you really think the average American is well enough informed to cast a good vote? Before you answer, let’s review some American averages…
- Roughly 65% of Americans don’t have a college degree.
- Close to 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.
- The average American watches TV more than three hours a day.
- Americans average more than 2 hours a day on social media.
A whopping 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck!
Sure, some Americans are hit with huge medical expenses and other financial emergencies. However, this can’t be an excuse for most Americans. Instead, it’s the inability to delay gratification and plan for a better future. Does this bode well for the average voter?
To hit this point home, how many Americans could point out China or Germany on a map? How about name three Amendments in the Bill of Rights? Or how many members are in the Legislative branch?
I’m going out on a limb here… but I’m guessing you’re above average since you’re reading this. Still, learning how our country and economy works takes a deep understanding of many topics. I don’t think I’m well enough informed to cast a worthwhile vote.
A slight counter, there is some truth to the saying wisdom of the crowd. But who controls the crowd? Does the mob rule?
Counter Argument: Get informed and then vote.
My Response: It would take more time in a day than I have to “get informed.” There’s a lot of uninformed or misinformed voters. Most all media sources are biased and if you go straight to the candidates, they make a lot of campaign promises but how many come to fruition? There are also many special interest groups pulling strings that the public doesn’t know about.
3. Voting Condones a Broken System
A minority pays the majority of taxes. The top 25% of American earners pay more than 80% of total federal income taxes. As a result, most voters are getting more out of the government than they put in.
Asking some of the wealthiest – and smartest – people to vote is similar to four foxes sitting around a table asking a chicken what it wants to eat. Democracy is a feedback loop that will lead to more and more government. Inevitably taxes and deficits will climb. These abuses and others have destroyed all democracies throughout history.
This line of logic refers to the Roman Grain Dole I mentioned above. Rome started providing free food to its citizens. And there can be many benefits to these support systems. However, it can create dependencies and warp incentives. Many politicians use handouts to gain and keep control.
For a recent example, U.S. debt has climbed over $250,000 per taxpayer. And social security programs are an unstoppable train headed for a cliff. We all see this slow-moving disaster but it’s a third rail for politicians. (Maybe we’ll get lucky with a faster move to free energy and a new economic paradigm).
Voting in a democracy isn’t a perfect system but it’s one of the best to date. It’s easy to point out a problem but finding a solution is the hard part.
I don’t have a fix for the voting system, but I do know how you can improve your impact on election outcomes. And before we look at what really runs a democracy, let’s revisit some opening points…
Why People Don’t Vote – Counter Arguments
Let’s jump back to some of the common responses I get when I say I don’t vote. Now you have more context, here are short answers…
- That’s un-American. Millions have died to protect your right to vote.
I’m extremely grateful to have the right to vote but I exercise my right not to. Is an uninformed or misinformed vote better? How about a forced vote? Some countries will penalize you if you don’t vote.
- This is the most important election.
If you think this is the most important election, you’re likely a poor student of history. How about the 1944 election during World War II? The 1860 election of Lincoln leading into the Civil War? How about earlier elections that built our electoral policies?
- If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.
Complaining about things I can’t control is a distraction. It’s also a leading cause of unnecessary stress. Here’s the start of the Serenity prayer… “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
Want Your Vote to Count? Here’s My Solution
Money runs politics and better financed candidates tend to win. Three researchers found that every election (except one) from 1980-2012 showed a positive correlation between money spent and candidates winning.
With this evidence in mind, if you want to have more impact on election outcomes, start saving money. And maybe instead of spending so much time debating politics, start a business that adds value to others. If you solve other people’s problems, you can amass a fortune. You can then use that fortune to have a larger impact on election outcomes. Also, at that point, you’d likely have a better understanding of the economy and cast a better vote.
Please always remember that it’s the right to vote, not a forced vote. If you get mad that I don’t vote, you’re probably letting emotions get the best of you.
For comparison, Australia and other countries make voting mandatory. But is a forced – and likely uninformed – vote really any better? You might want to take a closer look at the money behind efforts to get people in America to vote. There’s a push to get certain demographics to the polls which tend to vote certain ways. It’s all a numbers and correlation game.
In conclusion, I’m extremely grateful to have the right to vote but I exercise my right not to… that’s until I feel compelled enough to take a trip to the voting polls. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them on my YouTube video. Do you agree? Am I missing something? If you find my research thought-provoking, please let me know. Because that motivates me to keep sharing ideas.