Non-voters
I genuinely don’t get it.
The people who refuse to vote are often the same people who say they’re disillusioned with the two-party system. But instead of voting for a third party to express that frustration, they abstain entirely, which is basically the best possible way to preserve the status quo.
I notice people spending five years demanding a viable third party. And then, when one finally appears, they scrutinize it to death looking for reasons not to support it. Suddenly it’s “not enough female candidates,” or “I don’t like their clothes,” or “their hairstyles are weird.” The standards become impossibly high in a way they never are for the major parties.
Ironically, a lot of young people fall into this category, even though they’re arguably the biggest victims of the current duopoly and the intergenerational inequality it has produced.
Some say “the voting system needs to change.” Sure, but why would it? The current system works perfectly for the two major parties. They have zero incentive to reform it unless voters actually start backing alternatives.
Another argument is: “By not voting, I’m sending a message.” What message exactly? That you’ve opted out? Nobody in power is losing sleep over non-voters. Abstaining isn’t some powerful act of protest. Politically, it’s mostly invisible.
Then there’s the classic: “Nobody deserves my vote.” Honestly, if you can’t identify even one candidate or party closer to your values than the others, that says more about your standards of engagement than about the entire political landscape.
And finally: “Small party candidates can’t get elected.” Well yeah, with that attitude, of course they can’t.
For me, voting for a smaller party isn’t only about whether they win seats immediately. Sometimes it’s about supporting people who actually represent your values and encouraging alternatives to grow. It’s a way of saying: “This is the direction I want politics to move in.”
Honestly, I see it as gratitude. If someone gives me the rare opportunity to vote for something I genuinely believe in, I’m going to support that.