Are you Registered to Vote?

Gwalchmai · #1 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 10:20 AM

Please Register to Vote!

The deadlines to register in many states are October 2, 3, or 4, so there's only about a week and a half left!

What state do you live in? Are you living overseas? Are you a student living in a different state than your home state? Do you need an absentee ballot?

Obviously, I am directing this thread at US citizens because of the upcoming national election. Non-US citizens should also be sure they are registered to vote.

Are you an overseas voter? You can register here.

If you know an American, you can Tell an American to Vote

Are you a US citizen and still not registered? Michael Moore has a good page (wether you agree with his politics or not) with lots of links to help you register! Right Here. There are plenty of good links on that page, and you can often register over the net in many states! No reason not to at least try....

Moonbiter · #2 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 10:37 AM

OH, How I wish I could vote in the US.... And so, it seems, does a large part of the world's population this time around.

Vicsun · #3 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonbiter

OH, How I wish I could vote in the US.... And so, it seems, does a large part of the world's population this time around.

Considering that the election results are likely to affect me personally in this small, small world we live in, I certainly think I should be given a vote in the upcoming election.

(I'm only jokinig... kinda)

Gwalchmai · #4 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 11:20 AM

@Moonbiter and Vicsun: Well, maybe you know some Americans? Feel free to encourage them to register!

Tell an American to Vote

Vicsun - I like your sig!

Moonbiter · #5 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 12:09 PM

Y'know what, Gwal? That would be my greatest pleasure. Unfortunately, most of the quite considerable number of Americans I know are using the "what's the point?" excuse. Many also feel intimidated by the "register" part of it.

dark_raven · #6 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 01:40 PM

oh how i wish I could vote too!!! but *sigh* sadly i'm not 18

i have to wait 4 D**N YEARS!!!!!!!!! D**N IT!!!!!

Vicsun · #7 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark_raven

oh how i wish I could vote too!!! but *sigh* sadly i'm not 18

i have to wait 4 D**N YEARS!!!!!!!!! D**N IT!!!!!

So... do you believe in 14 year olds' rights to vote?

Rob-hin · #8 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 01:52 PM

I hope Kerrie wins, but it's choosing between a rock and a hard place...

But hey, if the Terminator can win an election (rather then coolest robot

), everything is possible.

I'd like to vote there too, not even a strange idea since it's concequences are so massive and global. never going to happen though.

JazzyAnna · #9 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicsun

So... do you believe in 14 year olds' rights to vote?

If they did have voting rights, they probably wouldn't vote. I'd vote, and some of my friends would definitely, but I think most wouldn't.

9-22-04 Kit and Carlyle
Check this comic out^

Volk · #10 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 03:59 PM

Im Canadian, i didnt vote in the elections over here and if i was American i wouldnt vote in the American ones either, because regardless of who wins the race for president the people still lose in one way or another, thats motivation enough for me to keep my nose out of that kinda business.

dark_raven · #11 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicsun

So... do you believe in 14 year olds' rights to vote?

i should restate my earlyer coment bout waiting 4 years to vote... 4 years to vote in a presedentual ellection... 1 year to vote on whatever is being voted on in a year... i'm 17

lol

and sa for you question... 15 year olds' rights... 14 is too young

Xandax · #12 (**permalink**) 09-22-2004, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volk

Im Canadian, i didnt vote in the elections over here and if i was American i wouldnt vote in the American ones either, because regardless of who wins the race for president the people still lose in one way or another, thats motivation enough for me to keep my nose out of that kinda business.

Then I hope you never complain about what the Government does either and how the contry is progressing.

I really don't understand people not wanting to vote because "it dosen't matter" or what not. I just don't.
Especially seeing as we have had some very close elections in Denmark where only a few hundred votes decided between one type of government or another type.

Even voting blank counts for something - whereas simply staying away signals indifference with the whole democratic process.
There is no way to differentiate between somebody that is to lazy to get out of his couch to vote and somebody who dosen't vote out of protest. Thus that segment is usually ignored.
There is however a way to signal discontent - and that is by voting blank, or on 3rd party candidates. That is why some more extreemist parties gain votes around in europe as well (like Communists and Neo-nazist in some German Land not so long ago), and it signals to the more established parties that there is something wrong, which needs to be adressed.
If the majority of the non-voters in the US suddenly turned up and voted - it could change very much in american politics, almost over night. Politicians would suddenly have to start taking into account these segments of people, which they don't know because they are not an electory power. Imagine if the remainder 40% of the country that normally doesn't vote (haven't I read that election participation is normally around 55-60%?) voted for Ralph Nader.... think of the message it would send to the Democrats and Republicans.

Not voting places one on the sideline, from where they have no influence on the "game" and the opinion dosen't matter either because of lack of participation.

Gwalchmai · #13 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark_raven

i should restate my earlyer coment bout waiting 4 years to vote... 4 years to vote in a presedentual ellection... 1 year to vote on whatever is being voted on in a year... i'm 17

lol

So, you'll be signing up with Selective Services in a year? Yeah, I'll bet you wish you could vote now....

Gwalchmai · #14 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 12:20 PM

@Xandax: I think that 51% of people of voting age voted in the 2000 presidential election, representing 67.5% of registered voters. 51.3% in 2000 represents a continuation of the decline in voter turn out. For example, voter turn out was 63.06% in 1960. However, voter registration has increased over the same time, up to 75% in 2000. Unfortunately, this still means that there were 51,453,750 eligible voters who were not registered. I don't understand how anyone can actually disenfranchise themselves, despite their possible disagreements with their governmental system.

Vivien · #15 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwalchmai

Please Register to Vote!

Gwally, what a nice reminder!

Yep, yep I'm registered!

It helps that I'm now married to an organized person who took care of that for me. He took care of it before we were married to!

...'course my life is now no longer the daily adventure of unforseen pitfalls and sudden delights that it used to be...but I suppose having rent paid on time and being able to vote somewhat makes up for that.

*hug*