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[JL]

Statistically speaking, no single vote makes a difference in any election of reasonable size.  I challenge everyone to try it: next election, don't vote.  Then go back and look at the results.  I'd be willing to bet that if you added your vote to either side of the election, it would not make a difference.  This is especially true of State and Federal elections. 

If that isn't enough, it might interest you to know that there is no fair outcome in these elections.  This was proven mathematically by Kevin Arrow in 1951:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow's_impossibility_theorem

And furthermore, although I do not view the act of voting as explicitly immoral, any system by which a majority can force a minority to act against their will, without having initiated violence or the threat thereof, is clearly immoral.  It ought to make one feel dirty to participate in such an act, seemingly (if not actually) legitimizing an immoral system-- Endorsing the idea that if their neighbors disagree with them on a policy, they want to see them forced to support it, by threat of violence or imprisonment if necessary.   

So my question to everyone who votes is this:  Why do you vote? 

My suggestion to you is: don't waste your time. 

[BigRedDog]

One of the races in LaSalle Township appears (at this point anyway) to have been decided by one vote...

I'll bet if you ask both of the people involved they'll tell you that one vote can be very critical

My advice is very simple...

if you don't want to vote, just don't vote.   But I also don't think you should be able to ***** (why would they censor out the word for a female dog?) about the results either

[Baggins]

One of the races in LaSalle Township appears (at this point anyway) to have been decided by one vote...

I'll bet if you ask both of the people involved they'll tell you that one vote can be very critical

My advice is very simple...

if you don't want to vote, just don't vote.   But I also don't think you should be able to ***** (why would they censor out the word for a female dog?) about the results either

I agree 100%

I had a button once that said, "If you don't vote, you can't complain"...

[Forsythia]

JL right on cue.  You are wrong, one vote can make a difference.  By the way, how we protect minorities is through the constitution.  So :p. Oh Shaggy sends his love and wants to grab a beer with you sometime.

[JL]

That's a small local election, and imagine the odds of that happening.  That's why i said "statistically speaking."  nd it still doesn't address the other issues I mentioned. 

One of the races in LaSalle Township appears (at this point anyway) to have been decided by one vote...

I'll bet if you ask both of the people involved they'll tell you that one vote can be very critical

My advice is very simple...

if you don't want to vote, just don't vote.   But I also don't think you should be able to ***** (why would they censor out the word for a female dog?) about the results either

[Frenchfry]

Are you saying you didn't vote JL or is it that you're asking everybody else to not vote?

[JL]

I think you have that backwards.  If you DO vote you can't complain, because you are implicitly legitimizing the system and agreeing to the outcome of the vote count.  If you don't agree with the election to begin with then you are not going to vote, and you have every right to complain.

also, these comments so far are dodging the points.   

I agree 100%

I had a button once that said, "If you don't vote, you can't complain"...

[Forsythia]

You haven't made a point to dodge.

[JL]

I don't vote for the reasons I stated.  I would not waste my time.  I'm curious to know why people vote.  People seem to think their vote is so important.  Let's take a presidential election for instance.  The odds of a persons vote deciding the outcome are statistically nil.  but people come out of those voting booths acting like heroes. 

It's a shame to see so many people taking part in an embarrassingly stupid charade.   

Are you saying you didn't vote JL or is it that you're asking everybody else to not vote?

[Forsythia]

Hmmm....so this guy wants a dictatorship.  It's all starting to make sense now.

[Baggins]

I think you have that backwards.  If you DO vote you can't complain, because you are implicitly legitimizing the system and agreeing to the outcome of the vote count.  If you don't agree with the election to begin with then you are not going to vote, and you have every right to complain.

also, these comments so far are dodging the points.

Not at all, you're the one that's bass ackwards, and not seeing the truth of the statement...

If you do not vote, your voice is not heard, therefor your opinion is worthless after the fact...

[BigRedDog]

Must be about time for a full moon...

the loonies are out in force today

[Frenchfry]

I believe they've finally realized they're losing.

[Forsythia]

I know BRD.  I figured JL would be back soon  because it was election time though.  Now that he has me on ignore there will be no blow up, he will just fade away to the background when people fail to respond to his inane posts.

[BigRedDog]

Well, a couple of the freedoms of this great country...

you don't have to vote if you don't want to vote...

freedom of speech carries over onto the local forums and you're free to make an *** of yourself through your posts if you're so inclined