I have to admit that I have contemplated what difference my vote for president would really make during the elections as a resident of Utah. The people here always choose the Republican candidate. (I’m not saying the Democratic candidate doesn’t get votes, but that person just never wins the popular vote or the electoral vote in Utah. Never.)

As a result, I began to wonder why I should even vote, and the obvious “what if everyone did that” thought came to mind, but I didn’t learn much from that, so I decided to put my mind into it, and here are a few of my conclusions, which I will update throughout the day. Connor, Chris (who announced that he will run for some future office) and I are all writing about Why we should vote. If you’re also writing about Why we should vote, send me the link.

I’ve a discovered a few things as I started contemplating the right to vote.

Why we should vote. What I’ve discovered.
First Conclusion – I’ve discovered that I know very little behind the reasoning and logic of why the United States uses the process it uses to select a president. I’m specifically referring to the United States Electoral System. Why should we vote if the electoral college is what really decides the outcome? Connor Boyack has a great post on the electoral college where he points to an article by Presidential candidate Ron Paul. He also does a great job explaining how the electoral college works: Why You Should Vote. So, my first conclusion is that I don’t understand the system as well as I should. I believe this single thing would change my outlook and yours in relation to the importance of voting.

Second conclusion – Whether or not my individual vote actually “counts” in the realm of ultimately deciding who gets to play politics at the highest level, I’ve discovered that when I take my vote seriously, I find myself actively learning more about the individual candidates and not just making decisions based on political party or likeability. I find myself comparing candidates’ words and promises to the principles of the Constitution and then finding that many presidential candidates’ platforms are in direct opposition with the very foundation of the U.S. Constitution. How shocking is that?

Third Conclusion – When you start to study the principles by which the foundation of this country was laid, I think you start to select a candidate on your citizenry as an American and not as a member of a political party. You start to vote for a candidate because they are truly the best person for the job and not the one that has the most mentions in the media.

Fourth conclusion – “Civic duty” and because “you should” are not reasons that will probably get you to want to vote. Today’s discussion on the reasons for voting have reminded me of something. Thomas Jefferson wrote a vital line in the Declaration of Independence when he said “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.” In other words, government and its politicians only have power because we as a people give it to them through our collective consent. That’s what happens when we vote yea or nay.

Why you should vote posts