Why I Don't Vote

Today is the midterm elections here in the United States. Between the incessant commercials on TV, ads on websites, and spam text messages from campaigns, it's impossible to miss it. If you believe the propaganda, this election, like every previous election, is the most important election of our lifetime. Based on the number of cars I saw parked by polling places on my way to work, voter turnout this year is high. I, however, didn't vote. I never vote. When I say this, the average person seems aghast. How can I not vote? I can't be that lazy, can I? My decision to not vote isn't me being lazy. It's a conscious choice.

Unless you're new to this blog, you already know that I'm an anarchist. I'm not the caricature that most people think of when they hear the word anarchist. The bomb throwing political assassin is largely the product of government propaganda built on focusing exclusively on a few historical anarchist (and a case can be made that at least several of those acted in self-defense). I'm an anarchist in the true meaning of the term: I oppose hierarchical society. I believe that all people should be equal. I believe that the State is antithetical to equality. So long as the State exists, there is one group of people, those who make up the State, who have powers and privileges greater than others.

So long as the State exists, those who don't make up the State are oppressed. One of my personal rules is that I will not actively participate in my own oppression. I may not be able to stop someone from oppressing me, but I won't do anything to advantage them. Voting provides material support to our oppressors. First, we live in a democracy (I here you Mr. Pedantic saying, "Well Akshully, we're a republic," and I will point out that a republic is a form of democracy, asshole). A democracy derives its legitimacy from voters. If nobody votes in a democracy, it makes the democracy look more akin to a dictatorship. Second, the only options on the ballot are State approved. You can only vote on who occupies an office or whether or not a proposition is passed. You cannot vote to abolish an office entirely or make your own proposition such as abolishing the State. The State has rigged the ballot to ensure voting can only further empower it.

I value consistency between what I say and what I do. Some may call this leading by example. My opposition to hierarchical society doesn't stop when a hierarchy conveniences me. I have no more desire to foist my beliefs on others than I desire others foist their beliefs on me. When you vote for a candidate, you're voting to foist your beliefs (perhaps it's only one belief of yours that the candidate supports) on everyone else in that candidate's district. Even if I had the option of a candidate that supported many or most of my beliefs, I wouldn't vote for him because that would be inconsistent with my beliefs.

Finally, I don't vote because I, unlike seemingly most people, have a long memory. The number of politicians who have kept their campaign promises after they were elected to office hovers somewhere around zero (statistically speaking, it might even be a negative number). Politicians make grand promises during campaign season but seldom follow through with any of them once they're elected. Many of them even campaign on the same promises during the next election, the election after that, and so on. If politicians have such a dismal track record of keeping their promises, why does anybody believe them when they make promises? A politician might promises to pass a law your strongly support, but will they actually follow through. Unlikely. Why spend your time marking a piece of paper or tapping a screen on a voting machine to support someone who is almost certainly lying to you? If you want to do that, you can go to the local strip club and throw cash as the stripper who says she really likes you. At least then you'll get a show for your money.