One Voter’s Apathy
15 June 2004 23:41 politics & societyWhile looking at campaign posters for the European Parliament Election a couple of weeks ago, I started thinking about the upcoming American Presidential Election and what I would need to do to be able to vote from overseas.
I went out on the Web and found the web site for the Fedreal Voting Assistance Program and spent most of one afternoon reading all the rules and regulations.
The first thing that I learned is that I must vote according to the last place where I was registered to vote and then I must follow the guidelines for that state. For me that is Mississippi. There is, of course, paperwork to fill out, a journey to the Embassy (or Consulate) to get the paperwork notarized, and trips to the post office involved. Here it sounds simple, but add on the required deadlines and it suddenly began to look to me like a major hassle.
As previously discussed, I don’t like Bush and I am about 98% sure that Mississippi will go Republican in this election, as they did in the last one. I quickly realized that I was asking myself if the whole thing was worth the time and effort I would need to put into it, since for all intents and purposes, by not voting Republican in Mississippi, my vote won’t count anyway. And while I think Bush’s foreign policy stinks, I am not sure Kerry’s would be much better as he would have so much fence-mending to do that nothing would really happen. As for domestic issues, I still glance over the Internet to find out what they are, but they just don’t really matter that much to me anymore.
I have voted in every presidential election and in a few special elections (one was for the possible flag change in Mississippi) since I turned 18 (1992). As a kid, I always looked forward to voting as a way to participate in democracy. As a teenager when I was discovering my feminist side, I was determined to vote whenever there was an election to exercise the right that so many women had worked so long and hard for. But as I grew up, politics really didn’t interest me all that much and even before the Election Fiasco of 2000, I was quite cynical about the whole process.
Webster defines “apathy” as “lack of emotion or interest,” and that may be exactly what compels me this time to exercise my right to vote by not doing it.
16 June 2004 at 08:35
Hi
I understand your dilemma with both overseas voting regulations and the election choices. Try being in my shoes; 18 years out of country. I don?t even have a US residency anymore.
As for the Bush vs. Kerry thing, well you are going to laugh at this. I was a ?Bill Clinton? man, still am. I hated DUBEUA for winning the election, but a lot has happened since then. I know Bush is the most hated man in Europe right now, and I know that a lot of my own fellow American expats can?t stand him, but my dad always said that when someone finds themselves in a situation like that, they must be doing something right. I do see something in Bush that I don?t see in Kerry?sincerity.
I believe that Bush really thinks he?s doing the right thing. I believe that Kerry reacts to public opinion?one day for the war, the next day against it. Some would argue that Clinton was the same way, but I guess Clinton was just better at selling himself.
The Dems missed their chance for a real campaign by not supporting John Dean?another sincere man?which would have made this campaign much more interesting; two sincere men going in total opposite directions.
Hey, here?s an idea, vote for Nader.
16 June 2004 at 12:21
On June 22nd, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m (that’s next Tuesday) there is a voter registration day at the Amerikahaus, Karolinenplatz, Munich. Whatever questions you have about how to vote, go there and they’ll answer them. They’ll also sort you out with all the paper work and get you registered. Remember to take your passport with you (the U.S. passport, that is!). More details about the event here:
http://www.toytownmunich.com/archive/001190.html
16 June 2004 at 16:28
Also, the Harmunichs will probably be singing at that voter registration thing next week. Just in case you’re interested.
17 June 2004 at 09:57
With an election as large as the presidential sort, the odds that your vote will affect the final tally are astronomical, yes (unless of course, you sit on the Supreme Court). But if you manage to convince others to vote or not to vote, there’s the rub.
Extended metaphor follows…
The voting booth waits at the END of the yellow brick road to democracy. It’s the people you pick up along the way who make all the difference. So pay no attention to that moment behind the curtain… tell everyone you meet that you’re off to vote your conscience. Sing a little song, and get them to dance along.
Whatever you do, please, don’t lead anyone else into the poppy-field of apathy… unless they’re voting for old you-know-who — the one who’s after your ruby slippers.