Why Your Vote Matters

By BRIAN DIGGELMANN In 2008, only 58.2 percent of eligible U.S. citizens cast their ballot in the presidential election. To put that figure in perspective, nearly one in every two people who complains about the government didn’t do anything to change it when they had the chance. Today, we at the 1851 Project would like to encourage you to vote if you have not done so already. We won’t try to influence your vote, only your decision to cast it. The New York Times recently published a short film created by acclaimed director Error Morris. Given the name “11 Excellent Reasons Not to Vote,” it appears at first to back the many arguments we make for not showing up at the polls: long lines, the insignificance of a single vote and the unpredictable behavior of candidates after elections, to name a few. Watch the entire seven minutes and you’ll begin to pick up on the reasons why we do vote. Yes, it’s our civic duty, but to many people it’s far more than that. Take, for example, the young man who says he was recently naturalized and will be voting in his first election, or the teens and twenty-somethings who will be of age for the first time in 2012. If they’re excited to be making their voice heard, shouldn’t those of us with much more on the line be even more eager to vote? If you’ve already decided to vote, congratulations! But make sure you’re making an informed decision. Over the past two weeks, we’ve tried to cover the candidates from the perspective of the franchising industry, but the media is full of resources to help you understand each candidate’s viewpoints, track record and campaign promises. Websites like VoteSmart’s VoteEasy will even help you figure out which candidates’ views are most similar to your own. If you’re not sure where or when you can vote, visit Google to get a rundown of locations and your local ballot. As the elections progress, we’ll continue to provide coverage of how they will affect franchising. Whatever your choice, make sure your voice is heard!