Our Census Bureau reports that 245 million Americans are eligible to vote (citizens, non-felons, over 18 years of age) and 157 million are registered to vote. In the 2016 election, 58% of eligible voters – and 86% of registered voters — turned up at the polls. Among 32 developed nation-democracies, that puts the US at 26th in voter participation. We’re quite a way behind Belgium and Denmark but slightly ahead of Slovenia and Turkey.
The two common reasons people give for not voting is “I’m too busy” and “It doesn’t matter who you vote for. They’re all crooks.” You can decide if either of those reasons is legitimate, but it reminds me of a story a writer I love, Ann Lamott, tells about a man named A. J. Muste, a Quaker.
During the Vietnam War, Muste stood outside the White House night after night holding a lighted candle. One rainy night a reporter asked him, “Mr. Muste, do you really think you’re going to change this country by standing out here alone night after night with a candle?”
“Oh,” Muste replied. “I don’t do it to change the country. I do it so the country won’t change me.”
Mr. Muste understood that democratic rights and ideals don’t mean anything unless they’re harnessed to responsible actions and behaviors. Even though his government was considered misguided if not crooked, he didn’t excuse himself from the obligation to be and do good. He was never too busy or too cynical to skip his rainy night vigils.
Like Mr. Muste, we live in a time of ripening paranoia fostered by a political class that wants us to be “a base” instead of the free and confident people we are meant to be. Thank heavens for the candle lighters among us who are not fooled by politicians who con voters into judging one another rather than the politicians themselves.
Among those candle lighters have been the many volunteers who have worked diligently – often at night and sometimes in the rain – to register voters for the upcoming midterm elections. Your service and patriotism have not gone unnoticed and we thank you for being good citizens.
What a fine essay, Dan. Thank you.
Tonight I’m also thinking about the voters who have had their candles stolen. Perhaps voter suppression efforts have been common and we’re just hearing about it, but I think not. Native Americans in N. Dakota, black people in Texas and Georgia, poor people in Alabama, and more; the political haves cast too many have-nots into the dark silence of difficult or impossible voting.
Democracy weeps.
You’ve done it again, sir: given us impetus to keep being responsible citizens. Bravo!