I would be lying if I said I voted in every election I could have, but nowadays, absolutely yes! Voting is very important for local, state, and federal elections here in the U.S.

Given the current circumstances we find ourselves in, voter apathy is killing our country. So many people get jaded by politics that they don’t vote, which opens the door for someone like Trump who is in the process of shaking down the rest of the world, throwing rule of law to the wind, and persecuting the most vulnerable in our society, all in the name of patriotism.

Are Republicans to Blame?

Republicans get demonized for winning the election and supporting Trump, which has turned into quite the Faustian Bargain for them, but hey they went out and voted and won. They were not the largest demographic group, did not get a huge majority, but they got out the vote and now they have power.

Profile of Voters vs. Non-Voters

Voters in the 2024 presidential election are notably more likely than non-voters to identify as Republican (39% of voters vs. 20% of non-voters) or Democrat (34% vs. 22%) than as independent (24% vs. 31%). Non-voters are nine times as likely as voters to refuse to identify as Republican, Democratic, or independent (27% vs. 3%). While partisans were overrepresented as voters in the 2024 election, Republicans turned out at slightly higher numbers than Democrats relative to their representation in the U.S. population (8 points vs. 5 points). – PRRI

Who Are The Non-Voters?

Non-voters span all demographic groups. Depending on the election is could be as low as 36% or much higher. It isn’t one particular group per se, but systemic. Political parties focus a lot of energy making sure that certain groups are as de-incentivized to vote as possible. This is our modern day “Jim-Crow”. The Republicans seem to be the most voracious at this, calling members to be “poll watchers”. These poll watchers are supposed to make sure that ballots are counted fairly, but it is also very much an intimidation tactic that dates back to the Klu Klux Klan’s repression of the black vote during the last 100 years, it is simply less overt.

The Moral of the Story

Get out and vote, make sure everyone you know votes and understands that even if the electoral college will not be close in your state, votes for local elections, school boards, judges and other local officials are arguable more important than the President. Get registered and vote every year, even if you don’t like the choices. Sometimes you have to choose between the lesser of two evils.