Why I don't vote

[prosto_tak]

Every four years I'm genuinely puzzled by why people vote.  I can think of a dozen reasons not to vote, and none whatsoever to do so.  Here are my dozen reasons not to vote:

1) I live in California, where the probability of my vote mattering is zero.

2) Even if I lived in a different state, the probability of my vote mattering is as close to zero as

Comments

[sliva_lv]

Марк: Like many other things, democracy works only if most people cooperate ... but I guess you knew that already.

Re local elections, and especially "direct democracy": not that I know anything about anything, but I've heard that usually the issues on the ballot are much clearer -- i.e., you would have an opinion, and probably a strong one. (but sure, on CA-wide ballot one vote won't count much.)

[prosto_tak]

"democracy works only if most people cooperate" - this is a general statement, which may or may not be true. I doubt most people would even agree on what "democracy works' means. Regardless, I can't change what most people do. I can only change what one person, I, do.

The issues on the ballot in local elections are ANYTHING BUT clear. I encourage you to read through propositions on this year's ballot, and tell me how a bunch of folks can make any sense out of them whatsoever. If ever the law of unintended consequences needed a poster child, "direct democracy" would be it.

[sliva_lv]

Re "democracy works" (or not) -- I meant, это как бросать ли бычки в урну, если вокруг уже слегка намусорено.

(What it means for democracy to work -- I have no idea. Yes, speaking in ill-defined terms, for the lack of better-defined terms. One reason I prefer to do math.)

Re local elections: I said "issues", not "wordings". Indeed, "direct democracy" is ridiculous. Presumably because many, if not most, propositions are ridiculous if you think carefully. But then, like I said, the issue is clear.

[sliva_lv]

Oh, and i forgot to add: I don't actually vote for this country. not yet :).

I blew a couple of chances to vote for another country, but this was sheer laziness (in the face of some non-trivial logistical difficulties). I think I voted once, and then the issue was very clear and dear to me.

[anyalev]

I voted once in my life because I decided that I should exercise this right at least once. Like a good girl I read all the propositions on the ballot. On half of them I could not understand whether we were voting against the issue or for it. These propositions are intentionally worded in such a manner that it is impossible to decipher. I even called up my friend who is lawyer to clear this up for me and it took him some time and some googling to figure out what is going on. This is the best illustration of the manipulation of the masses. After that I decided I will not vote again.