Voting lowers your integrity?
967703
There's always the option to write in someone, or not check the box next to anyone's name.
774725
If you're talking about voting on reality TV shows, it's not cheating. People choose to vote. Mindless or gullible might be a better description.
128174
When you vote you are speaking up and saying how you believe government should be run.\n\nWhen you don't vote you are letting others speak for you.
774111
Yep.....it's easier. Also you can't be held accountable later when something horrible goes wrong at the hands of the guy you voted for.......
1107590
I think that usually the people "bad mouthing" their leaders ARE the people who voted for the other candidate.  As long as you vote, you have the right to criticize anyone you want!  It's the non-voters who need to shut their traps!
969902
Interesting question.  Although voting is a right that should be enjoyed by every American citizen, it is also a responsibility.  In it's purest sense, voting carries with it a responsibility of the voting public to make decisions based on what the consensus believes to be in the best interest of society as a whole, rather than voting for who is most popular or whatever issue ensures the most benefits for the individual voter.  This might mean that you vote yourself higher taxes in order to improve road conditions or education, or it might mean you elect someone you don't personally like, who might be ugly, annoying, brash, or smell bad but whose policies would benefit the region more than any other.\n\nPeople who vote without understanding the issues can actually harm everyone else by voting for candidates or issues that might not be in the best interests of the populace.  If you don't know who you're voting for -- what they stand for, what they promise to accomplish, what kind of record they have -- you don't know if you're even voting for someone who is qualified for the job.  If you don't have any understanding of the issues behind a referendum on the ballot, you might vote for something ultimately harmful, or vote down something that might have done someone some good.  It's my belief that you shouldn't vote unless you go to the minimal effort of at least reading the voter's pamphlet to get the bare basics of the pros and cons of each decision.  Everyone who is eligible to vote should definitely get out and vote, but only after each person has done the homework necessary to make an educated, INFORMED choice.
1071555
Because too many things can go wrong. Technical difficulties, hackers, viruses, spyware; all of these things that affect normal online activities would become another factor in what's wrong with the voting system. Voting in person and allowing someone to count it by hand/machine/whatever is really the safest way to make sure no one tampers with your vote; the only thing you have to worry about is human error.
785705
I think it is a civic duty for every American citizen to vote. But you are very right that an ignorant vote may defeat your own purpose, because when you randomly vote for anyone on the ballot that somehow seems at the moment to possibly be the better choice, even though you know absolutely nothing about that persons history or views, you may actually help elect someone who does not have your best interest in mind. Even voting blindly straight down for one particular party, but you really don't know if some of them do not represent you political views, you may be making a mistake.\n\nHaving said that, I urge that all Americans start caring to research the candidates before any election and become INFORMED and there fore be an informed voter for a better America. I am Republican because I believe in Republican values in general, and I vote mostly Republican, but I will vote Democrat or Independent or Green, too, if I like that candidate better for his or her voting history or moral outlook over the Republican alternative. I voted for Bush and I stand by him now even when there is so much Bush bashing going on all around me, because I have done my homework and I see that he is an honest man who is doing his best and has the right ideas. I do also resent that there are so many stupid people who want to undermine our leadership in a terribly dangerous time of war which weakens our position and makes all the other countries laugh at us. And, I don't believe in blindly following a trend that hates one candidate or loves another just to be popular not really understanding all there is to it. So, before you vote, please study all of the issues in depth and know what your candidate really stands for, and don't listen to partisan propaganda to form your opinions.
1184192
Many people are concerned with computerized voting. \n\nThat's why many juristictions are looking at machines with VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER TRAILS. \n\nVoters are given the opportunity to verify - on paper - that their votes have gone the way they want. Once the ballot is finalized, a barcode is printed as well. A recount can be done by machine (scanning the barcodes) and by hand (reading the names). \n\nAnd, if you're so damned sure about the answer to your question, why are you bothering to ask?
48791
Because they are lazy, and don't think it matters.\n\nFor all those out there who think so, here's a quote(I haven't a clue who by)\n\n"Bad men are elected by good people who don't vote".\n\nIf you didn't vote, don't grouse if you don't like who your neighbor picked.
314944
I know you are trying to pull liberal's tails on your question.  I never voted in my life.  The thing is, politics in general in America is just a zoo.  All politicians are not worth my time nor respect.  So I try to live a life not needing government by making myself enough money to do as I please.  As far as I am concern, government and people in general are all corrupt in the USA.  People lie everyday, and the media is not objective but a medium for making money from commercials or whatever.  People do what it is they do for money for a better life, business ceos don't act ethically and by nature greedy fat cats, liberals are jealous and want a voice, everybody is just too loud and it makes no difference in my life, i ignore the whole thing but to laugh at libs and the rest of them.  I only support me, my kind, and my family.  I am a racist towards those that are racist against me, that includes all whities from Oklahoma.  See, I don't hide behind political correctness, it is another shame of the left, call it like it is and we all will be better off.  All policians lie, they have to in order to do their job, so life is a big B.S. if you keep it in perspective, all this energy is a waste, just leave me alone to my own resources, stay out of my way, and go suck your own problems for a change.  Good day.
914587
I think, in any race where the vote is close, the apparent loser, regardless of party, will cry foul.\n\nThat's not necessarily a bad thing.  It's evident that we have some serious problems running clean elections in this country.  Every time an election result is challenged, it reveals flaws in the different voting systems that can then (hopefully) be remedied.  More importantly, it reveals those flaws to the public, who can then see for themselves just how hard their elected officials are actually trying to run clean elections.  Or aren't, as the case may be.\n\nI heard a poitical analyst on a radio staion speaking recently (sorry, I didn't catch who it was) and he made an excellent point about how the Republican Party wins.  He said, they don't try for a landslide victory.  They try for 1 or 2% of the vote.  \n\nI'm not claiming, with that quote, that Republicans are cheating at the polls.  My point is, with the current flawed elections processes, while 1 or 2% should be enough to win an election, it is well within the margin of error, no matter how many times the votes are counted.  No matter who is declared the winner, I'd like to be certain they actually won.\n\nGetting our elections processes cleaned up across the country, and having an accurate way to verify disputed votes, is the only way to be sure we will get accurate counts.  That will only happen in response to public pressure.  If voters feel there's something hinky about the election results in their district/state, I hope they scream loud and long, and get to the bottom of it, no matter how long it takes, or how much it costs.
868502
OF COURSE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!!!!!\n\nWe get to choose our leaders!  That is the bedrock of our democracy!!!  If you choose not to vote, you give up your voice!  Don't let other people choose your leaders for you - VOTE!!!
714200
Of course no one should tell you how to vote, but they should be telling you why to vote for a particular individual. I tend to be all over the place when I vote, and it's because I look at the issues and the individual and make a decission accordingly.
975134
Voting machine did have security flaws and Diebold did concede to that. But thay claim that to hack into the machine would require the average voting person to be in an unrealistic voting environment. \n\nMachine have security flaws. Machine is secure.\n\nDoes anyone see the logic that Diebold took to equate one with the other?
148162
I do not have the "unflinching beleif" in any authority in power today.  The standards have slipped so, in all professions I have been involved with.  Dentist fill teeth that don't need filling, lawyers screw up cases, enron execs steal billions of dollars, etc.  You really have to be on your toes these days NOT to be taken by some scheme.  Whether it is the roofer using the wrong grouting for a tile roof, which later flies apart in wind, to the designers who made hurricane proof windows that leak during Katrina---the list goes on and on.\n\nI have seen enough of this stuff to have 0 faith in "leaders."  They care about themselves and perhaps putting money towards their children's college funds, at any cost to you and me, the average citizen hard at work for the government to pay our taxes. (I mean to say no matter who you work for on paper, every single person in this country really works for the government for a certain number of hours in the day.) \n\nI believe our right to "vote" is merely a show.  Whoever appears in the position does whatever the highest bidders tell them to do.  You could have donald duck in office, and the policies would be set by the unseen power structure in this country. I know it is cynical, and sad, but true.  \n\nI am no sheep, however.  I still try to maintain my personal high standard of ethics, and I fail to take advantage of other people or rip people off.  I am one of those guys who counts his change, and if there is extra, I give it back.
1136688
Yes, I did know this, and I do this. I check up on my "representatives" (not that they actually represent) and I let them know when I am not happy with them, what way I want them to vote on upcoming issues, and I make sure they are well aware that their job hangs on their choices.