Why don't people Vote?

[Crazy Scion]

Simple enough of a question, but it's a big deal since like less then half the country votes. I wanted to ask you guys for your opinions on the matter. Why don't you vote? If you do vote then why is that as well?

Don't expect to much response to this, but ask you to please say something. I need to research this particular topic for school. So, any and all comments are much appreciated. Thank You!

Not limited to this election, just why in general like:

Is it to incontinent

Didn't feel like it

Didn't know enough about what you were voting for

those sort of things.

[PrimezTime]

I may not be voting this year simply because I'm in a state that I'm not registered in. It was poor planning on my part and I never got an absentee ballet while I was visiting home again, so I guess that's why I'm not voting.

[Crazy Scion]

I may not be voting this year simply because I'm in a state that I'm not registered in. It was poor planning on my part and I never got an absentee ballet while I was visiting home again, so I guess that's why I'm not voting.

I didn't mean just this election, but anything you need to vote for in general. To be honest I forgot about the absentee, and I never vote any way cause honestly I'm lazy, but also I don't know jack about politics.

[★LunaLight★]

Simple enough of a question, but it's a big deal since like less then half the country votes. I wanted to ask you guys for your opinions on the matter. Why don't you vote? If you do vote then why is that as well?

Don't expect to much response to this, but ask you to please say something. I need to research this particular topic for school. So, any and all comments are much appreciated. Thank You!

Not limited to this election, just why in general like:

Is it to incontinent

Didn't feel like it

Didn't know enough about what you were voting for

those sort of things.

Last number I heard was under 6%. Granted I didn't see any statistical studies attached, but I assume most of the country does vote. At least, for president.

[Kagamine]

I'm 16.

[Crazy Scion]

Last number I heard was under 6%. Granted I didn't see any statistical studies attached, but I assume most of the country does vote. At least, for president.

I got the statistics from my Psych teacher and again this is voting in general so not just presidential vote, but anything voted for. If you can contribute some insight to this that would be great. At least include your own opinion on why you do or do not vote.

[Kill Bones]

Voter apathy basically. Because of the way the electoral college is set up, the general consensus is that a single vote doesn't matter at all. This produces an effect similar to the Bystander effect, and the voter, or non-voter in this case, typically assumes that everyone else will put the more desired candidate in office. This changes somewhat depending on the public view of the candidates, as more drastically different candidates result in a more competitive election and thus more voters. Moderates also generally vote less than their radical counterparts, as they generally agree and disagree with both candidates on various issues, and thus have no strong desire to vote one way or another.

[Crazy Scion]

Voter apathy basically. Because of the way the electoral college is set up, the general consensus is that a single vote doesn't matter at all. This produces an effect similar to the Bystander effect, and the voter, or non-voter in this case, typically assumes that everyone else will put the more desired candidate in office. This changes somewhat depending on the public view of the candidates, as more drastically different candidates result in a more competitive election and thus more voters. Moderates also generally vote less than their radical counterparts, as they generally agree and disagree with both candidates on various issues, and thus have no strong desire to vote one way or another.

That's...pretty good. Tell me more.

[Kagamine]

Really I think the main reason people wouldn't vote for something is if they either A) don't know enough about the options, B) are indifferent towards the outcomes or C) don't like either option strongly enough to bother.

Really it all comes down to indifference. If you feel strongly about something, you will vote for it. But (using the presidential election as an example) if you haven't been keeping up-to-date on politics and don't know what both Romney and Obama plan on doing if elected, then it's really impossible for you to think badly or highly of either one, and thus you won't vote because there's hardly a difference in your mind. If you really don't care who wins, then... well that one's self-explanatory. And if you think both Romney and Obama are bad candidates, well, why bother voting if you don't like either? They're both bad, so with bad news coming your way no matter what happens, well, there's no point in choosing, because you don't like either of them. Again, it all comes down to indifference. That's why people won't cast in their opinions. If they cared, they'd say something. But if any of the three scenarios apply to someone, then they really don't.

(Again this stays true when voting for really anything, I was just using the presidential election as an example.)

[Crazy Scion]

Really I think the main reason people wouldn't vote for something is if they either A) don't know enough about the options, B) are indifferent towards the outcomes or C) don't like either option strongly enough to bother.

Really it all comes down to indifference. If you feel strongly about something, you will vote for it. But (using the presidential election as an example) if you haven't been keeping up-to-date on politics and don't know what both Romney and Obama plan on doing if elected, then it's really impossible for you to think badly or highly of either one, and thus you won't vote because there's hardly a difference in your mind. If you really don't care who wins, then... well that one's self-explanatory. And if you think both Romney and Obama are bad candidates, well, why bother voting if you don't like either? They're both bad, so with bad news coming your way no matter what happens, well, there's no point in choosing, because you don't like either of them. Again, it all comes down to indifference. That's why people won't cast in their opinions. If they cared, they'd say something. But if any of the three scenarios apply to someone, then they really don't.

(Again this stays true when voting for really anything, I was just using the presidential election as an example.)

That's fine. The example is good and that's also a really good point.