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Young Americans Who Don’t Vote Explain Why

©Unsplash,Element5 Digital

In case you haven’t been paying attention, there’s a huge election coming up in November that’s been in the news just a little bit.

The upcoming election has become very divisive with people digging in on both sides of the aisle. What will happen? We’ll have to wait and see.

But one thing we can all agree on is that if you’re an American, you should vote.

But these young Americans went on the record and admitted they don’t.

AskReddit users opened up and said why they don’t vote.

1. This is why.

“This will be the first year I won’t vote. I don’t want my parents being able to find out where im living and once you register your address to vote then your info is out there. I don’t have enough cause to file a restraining order against them either so I can’t do one of those programs like they have for DV survivors.”

2. Don’t have the right.

“I got caught up in the opiate epidemic currently sweeping the nation and currently do not have the right to.”

3. Working all the time.

“I didn’t vote in my early 20s because I couldn’t make it to the polls due to work.

In my mid 20s I tried to but they moved my polling station and I couldn’t find it. 3 different times.

In my late 20s to today I do vote, but I moved so my polling location is easy to get too and I now have a job with normal hours. Makes it easy to do.”

4. All kinds of reasons.

“I hate everything about this election cycle. People feel powerless and that their vote means nothing, and these recent DNC scandals just prove and fuel that. You have people who are scared and are acting out of survival campaigning for healthcare reform, yet the media is handwringing and boosting stories about how mean the “Bernie Bros” are to them online instead.

People are feeling scared, powerless, and worthless, and others are attacking them for it instead of being empathetic and understanding why they’re so angry.

It feels like the mask is off, even more so than 2016, and I have no idea what is right anymore. Right now, to me, violent revolution seems fine. I’m so tired of the rich and privileged shaming people because they want better healthcare. I’m so tired of being called entitled because I don’t want to die of a preventable illness. I’m tired of the dog and pony show of progressive virtue signaling with no real change. I’m tired of being called a harasser because I am passionate about not dying. I’m just tired.

I was someone who tried to fight voter apathy. But they did it, they exhausted and broke me. They looked at me and other poor people in the eyes and said “fuck you, you don’t matter.”

5. Exhausted.

“Because 80% of my day is work. 20% is me being so exhausted from work that i don’t have the motivation to do anything other than sleep. and on the off chance that i do have energy, I’d rather do something that makes me happy.”

6. Very intimidating.

“I’m too overwhelmed by all the resources and information out there that it’s very intimidating. I’m not good with all that government/politics talk either, so that makes tough to figure out a starting point.”

7. Haven’t done the research.

“I’m so wrapped up in school that I haven’t REALLY looked into each candidate and if I vote I want to make sure I have done enough research to validate and make sure I’m not voting based off of what everyone tells me to vote for.”

8. Moved to a new state.

“I moved to a different state recently and didn’t have time to change my registration.”

9. Feeling guilty.

“I feel so disgusting. I REALLY wanted to vote in the primary, but I worked yesterday until 7 AND I live in a different state than I’m registered in. The state is close enough that I could totally go over there to vote, I just didn’t keep track of Super Tuesday and now I feel so guilty.”

10. Don’t keep up.

“Since I don’t keep up with elections solely because of the drama around it (thanks American media!) I’m misinformed in politics. I feel my vote would be irresponsible.”

11. Don’t know enough.

“I don’t feel educated enough about politics to make such a big decision.”

12. Don’t care.

“I’m 25.

I don’t vote because I just don’t care.

Between my min wage job, no real degree and no general prospects in life…I have no real reason or personal incentive to get off my butt and vote.

Make no mistake-I’m not complaining about the consequences of my lack of action. I just get up, go to work, turn off as many emotions as I can in order to just get through the damn day, go to bed and do it all over again.

I don’t vote because I’m just a drone. That’s how my life is and that’s how it’ll end.”

13. No good options.

“I want a president under the age of 70, not a socialist, not a reality show host, and not someone who panders to African-Americans after writing legislation that oppressed their communities. I liked Buttigieg and Klobuchar.”

14. A broken system.

“System is illogical, lots of ways for it to be corrupted, and its seemingly made that way on purpose. The delegate system / Electoral College is a joke. Why do we need a middle man (Whom is most likely biased / bought anyway) between what people vote for and what we actually get?

For example Bernie Won Iowa and New Hampshire, by a Landslide, and somehow buttgieig had more Delegates than bernie.??? It wasn’t until Bernie Had a landslide in Nevada that he actually got a significant lead.”

15. Don’t like any of the candidates.

“The candidates put forward by each party are repulsive according to my beliefs.”

16. Not accepted by others.

“Because I’m gay and not liberal. I’m not accepted by others if I don’t vote for who they want me to vote for. I also don’t like lying.”

17. And finally, this.

“I used to not vote because I thought i was protesting a broken and corrupt system. I thought by participating in it, I would legitimatize it.

Years later I realized that it those in power really don’t want you to vote after all, that’s why they make it so hard to. So now I vote out of spite.”

Wow. Those are kind of depressing and disheartening.

What do you think?

Talk to us in the comments!