EDITORIAL – Americans aren’t showing at polls

Some Americans, probably most, consider the United States to be a beacon of democracy in the… Some Americans, probably most, consider the United States to be a beacon of democracy in the world. Is it troubling, then, to find out that countries like Iran have a higher voter turnout than the United States? It should be.

As we enter the last 24 hours before the midterm elections, voters are looking for motivation to go to the polls — and it’s nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, not all Americans are equipped with a deep sense of duty to vote that will carry them through the most trying and dismal times. Some are, and they’re usually the ones who are working the phones and planting yard signs until the very last second.

But these ambitious folks are the minority.

It’s hard to get out and vote when you’re made to feel — by both sides — that your only choices are bad and worse. What’s the incentive, then, to take time out of your day to go and cast a vote for someone who’s only got your vote because he’s not the “other guy?”

It isn’t particularly comforting to know that we can vote against a disappointing candidate next election. By that point, the incumbent’s positions are secure enough that voting them out of office is very unlikely.

It’s a game of the lesser evils with candidates who are creeping ever so closely to the middle, trying to appease everyone and managing to impress no one in the process. Voters are growing more polarized, and candidates are afraid to take a side.

There are plenty of reasons to vote: Iraq, homeland security, the economy and abortion just to name a few. It’s true that finding that perfect candidate who represents everything you could hope for in America is like searching for the last golden ticket, but here’s another reason why voters need to wake up and shelve their apathy.

Non-voters often forget that even if they are disenchanted with candidates, there are still immensely important reasons to vote. This year, many states are adding measures to ballots with which everyone can find something to argue about.

According to the Associated Press, 37 states have added a total of 205 measures to tomorrow’s ballots on issues like gay marriage, affirmative action, abortion, immigration, marijuana and sex crimes. It’s absolutely impossible that the 60 percent of Americans not voting can’t find at least one topic that they want to weigh in on, and there’s no law against punching your ballot on only one issue.

Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio are hoping to get low-income voters out to vote because of a measure on the ballot to raise the minimum wage, according to the AP. Rhode Island added a measure that would return voting rights to felons. Nevada and Colorado have a measure that would legalize possessing a small amount of marijuana if you’re 21 or older.

Many Americans have slipped into the mindset that they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t when it comes to voting. Although there is a lot of unrest regarding our current political choices, Americans generally have a sense of security, in addition to believing that their vote just doesn’t matter.

We will never have the correct leaders representing us if we don’t vote. Referendums and voter initiatives are terribly important — it’s important that people remember that they’re not just going out to polling places for candidates, but also for issues. Hopefully, voters will embrace the idea that the change and inspiration they are looking for is within their control, and there are no good reasons not to vote tomorrow.