The Right to Not Vote

(I think this post will be controversial, but what are blogs for if not to share ideas? When I told my mom I was going to write about this, she wanted me to let you know that she acknowledges she failed as a parent. I think she succeeded, since I can think for myself! :)

This is the week where most likely you are going to see a lot of posts about how it's your duty to vote. And I want to make as clear as possible that I love that we have the right to vote. It is absolutely, without doubt, an amazing privilege and freedom.

I know that real blood was shed to make that right available to us.

But as powerfully as I believe that I also believe that we have in equal measure the right to abstain from voting.

The freedom to vote gives us the freedom, also, to not vote.

I know people...smart, conscientous, compassionate, and socially aware people who will not vote by going to a ballot box. They will not vote because it is their deep conviction not to. For many reasons. For some, because there are too many conflicting moral issues, and they are unable in good conscience to cast a vote either way. For others, because they believe by voting they are acting against their deep felt feelings of faith.

Agree or disagree, I think it's glorious that they have that right to choose not to vote.

Four years ago, I found myself unable to know how to vote. I was despairing and I talked it over with a friend from the UK. "I don't even know if I can vote," I said, "and still sleep at night." At first he was shocked, but then he looked at me and said "well that's what a democracy** is all about isn't it? If neither of the candidates has inspired your trust than they've failed. It's your right to not vote."

That was a life-changing moment for me. I have always felt like everyone should vote, it's instilled in us from a young age in America that we should vote. The idea of not voting makes me feel sick with guilt. Yet, I have claimed it before on small issues I thought of little significance...why not the large issues, that get lots of press? People who don't vote are often portrayed as lazy or apathetic...but I know that's simply not true. There are many reasons one might not vote. Some people I respect immensely do not vote.

I did vote four years ago, but I haven't voted since. Today will be the end of a voting fast in which I examined why I vote and the role it plays in my life. I thought about how much faith I put in the political process and how much faith I put in my God. I examined my motives...(being motivated by guilt hardly seems a good reason to do anything.) And I'm ready to vote again.

The thing about freedom is that it has to be for everyone in order for it to be worth anything. Freedom of speech means I have to put up with hearing things I disagree with, even things that I hate. Freedom of worship means if someone wants to worship Big Bird or not worship at all, they have every right. The freedom to vote means that if someone chooses not to...that right is protected. So while I think it's great to encourage people to take an active part in the voting process (and we should it encourage it for smaller elections, too) I will speak up for the right of those who choose not to vote according to conscience. At the end of the day, we can only answer to our consciences. And the freedom to be able to act according to conscience is a beautiful thing indeed.

**I have been reminded several times this week that we are not actually a democracy, but a republic. These were his words, though, so I chose to keep them intact.