Vote Because I Hate Losing with Points on the Bench

In 2000, George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes. That’s not very many. Were there more than 537 Al Gore supporters in Florida who did not vote? Probably, but it doesn’t matter. Those votes did not count.

In week one of fantasy football I lost my match up by 3 points. That’s not very many. Could I could have won by 27 points if I had played a different running back? Yes, but it doesn’t matter. Those points didn’t count.

Losing is always disappointing, but I particularly hate losing when I had the points needed to win on the bench. I hate losing knowing that I had the potential to win.

Don’t let your vote go uncounted. Don’t let your candidate lose with points on the bench.

I support President Obama. I have already cast my vote for President Obama. Still I say “your candidate” because I believe in the system. I want Obama to win, but if you support Romney I want you to vote. I want the winner of the election to be whomever the majority of the American people want to win, not whoever had the better get out the vote efforts, and I certainly don’t want the outcome to reflect voter suppression.

U.S. voter turnout rate hasn’t exceeded 60% nationally since 1968. That’s shameful. It’s far below most European nations. Iraq has better voter turnout, and a lot of Americans died for them to have that right. Don’t you think we should exercise that same right ourselves?

Voting this year may be difficult for the people most severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy; hopefully accommodations can be made to facilitate voting for them. Most of the country, however, does not have that excuse.

Don’t let the fact that you aren’t in a swing state keep you from the polls. True, if you live in a firmly red or blue state your vote is not likely to change the outcome of the presidential race, but your vote may make a difference in state and local races and ballot measures. Plus, you never know when the political leanings of a state may start to change. Your vote may help prevent or expedite that change. Your vote matters.

I list some more reasons to vote here.

Vote. (Unless you have already voted in which case thank you. Please encourage others to do so.)