Drag your friends and family to the polls.

I haven't missed an election in my life.

I must admit that school board elections really don't do it for me. For City Council on up I'll be there.

If you ever invoke the term "we the people", you had better back it up by voting. Do I always vote for the winner? Obviously not, since Barack Hussein Obama is the President. But you know what?? I voiced my opinion, via the ballot. And I look forward to 2010, as there will be SIGNIFICANT changes in congress. That is because we will be fed up with all the egomaniacs in Washington DC who spend,spend,spend, while I struggle to meet all my financial obligations. It would be freaking sweet if I could tell the bank to "put it on my tab", or if I could print a dozen $100 bills to hand them in payment. It doesn't matter party affiliation any longer....both side of the aisle have shown grave levels of irresponsibility over the last decade, and we need to look at the individual's ideology, not the party. If the right dem,worker party, green party, or any candidate speaks of "true change", and has ideas to back them up, you better believe I'll consider them. And I also will remember what you campaigned on, and if you don't follow through, other's will hear what I have to say.(God, I love the internet!)

People died for your right to vote...........DO IT!

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html

http://regional-institute.buffalo.edu/sotr/Indicator.cfm?Indicator=f7a6d...

In National elections, you can see there's typically around 50 - 55% voter turn-out in Presidential years and more like 35% in the mid-term elections. Registration is around 90%, but people just don't show up. This is why the status-quo remains the status-quo. I don't know how to make people care enough to take back our government. Not to pound my chest, but I have voted every time since I was 18, even when I was at sea in the Navy, I requested an absentee ballot and made sure I mailed it in time. When our kids were little, my wife and I would take turns staying outside with them while the other waited in line to vote if need be. There really are very few legitimate excuses.

So glad this was brought up as a poll question, and I couldn't agree more with the comments posted thus far. This forum is a great way to express our enthusiasm and discontent with what is happening in government, but the only real vehicle of change we have is the vote. Although we can write to our elected officials, attend rallies and townhalls, or post blogs on the internet, it is all for nothing if we don't back it up at the polls. If you are not registered, do it today. It is simple and painless. If you are registered, but have become complacent, get out there and vote, your voice IS heard and all the more when the numbers increase. When politicians see people are turning out in greater numbers to cast their votes, there will be change, but when they see discontent followed up with apathy at the polls, there is no motivation to change the status quo.

These numbers do not reflect reality. Then again, why would people who don’t vote, take a survey?

Voter apathy is so bad, I sometimes wonder if the majority of those who don’t vote would care if the right was taken away.

Some of the most politically minded people I know, don’t vote. There is a range of reasons from flat out laziness to a strange pride in being able to tell other people they did not vote. Some think their vote doesn’t matter, some can’t make up their minds, and other people don’t want to be responsible for making a bad decision. Then there are those who simply care less.

People are very different.

I also agree with Mark. Why would people who normally don’t vote, vote in this survey? Most non-voters probably just skipped the topic by. That fact is probably reflected in the high rates of people who say they vote on this poll.

These polls are very unscientific. Most non-voters don't follow the news, so they're not likely to read The Batavian or any other news site.

I was curious how many people who do follow the news, though, don't vote. The numbers are actually coming in lower than I expected.

I think one of the questions should have been, if you do vote are you voting for the lesser of two evils. I stopped voting in national elections when I couldn't vote that way any more.

I am also sure that people, who don’t follow the news or watch MSNBC/FOX are far more mentally balanced than the rest of us.

Charlie, I'm sure you are absolutely right.

I'll second both Charlie and Howard on that one. Even the comments I leave on The Batavian myself make me wonder where that guy's head is at.

terry; I would suggest that rather than voting for the lesser of 2 evils (which is usually how I feel too) you vote for another candidate or even write in one. I did last year, I wrote in Ron Paul. You could write in Donald Duck if you want. The vote is never wasted, you are voicing your opinion and displeasure. Just my thoughts, not trying to tell you what to do.

If you don't like any of the candidates, write in yourself or someone you know.

I've always found that to be perfectly legitimate and it sends a clear message. Like Dave said, that way your opinion isn't wasted.

Or better yet, run yourself and give the rest of us a choice.

shame on any adult too ignorant to know about issues and candidates, perhaps its better that some folks dont vote an uneducated voter is a very dangerous thing and can screw things up for a long time. ie. 2000 to 2008

Yeah and dnn't forget to look at what the cool guy that talks real good on TV has done. After he and Acorn helped me get in a house I can't pay for, he helped me buy a new car, now I hear he's even gonna pay all my doctor bills. I like him he's always on TV cause he has pretty white teeth and his wife wears good clothes and her arms are ripped. Opra likes him too that's why I voted for him.

Richard, now THAT'S funny!

We get down on congress for voting on bills they haven't read...But we tell people they should vote for someone just to vote,without even taking the time to see where the candidate stands on a issue..How many people vote for someone just because of party affiliation .I am glad that those who don't know what the issues are don't vote..

Better judgement. Delete

Posted by Mark Potwora on September 14, 2009 - 3:04pm
We get down on congress for voting on bills they haven't read...But we tell people they should vote for someone just to vote,without even taking the time to see where the candidate stands on a issue..How many people vote for someone just because of party affiliation .I am glad that those who don't know what the issues are don't vote..

You are so right, Mark.
Hey, watch for news tomorrow on the Batavian ;)

Mark, that is why it is encouraged to write someone in. If there is apathy to the process how can we be outraged if someone comes along and takes it away.
And Richard, why do you shortchange Acorn as only a housing institution. As videos from 3 different cities has proven, they will gladly help you to set up an underage prostitution ring in your home, evade the law and use the underage girls as "dependents" on your taxes. And that training comes from our tax dollars.

What do I have to give my Acorn house back now, are they being investigated. How about the car can I keep the car, what about my bank the government owns and my doctor bills. I don't know how the President does it, when I run out of money I can't spend any more or borrow from anyone. If he doesn't have any money left how can he pay my doctor bills. Heck he even sent me a check for 200 dollars to by school stuff but I went to the track and bought beer. People must send him money cause he's so cool and talks so good. Wonder if Opra gives him money she's really rich. Heck I don't care where he keeps gettin it seems like he sends me a check every six months. I don't mind he keeps given me stuff and I don't even have to do nuthin.

Posted by Jeff Allen on September 14, 2009 - 3:13pm
Mark, that is why it is encouraged to write someone in. If there is apathy to the process how can we be outraged if someone comes along and takes it away.
And Richard, why do you shortchange Acorn as only a housing institution. As videos from 3 different cities has proven, they will gladly help you to set up an underage prostitution ring in your home, evade the law and use the underage girls as "dependents" on your taxes. And that training comes from our tax dollars.

Jeff, please send links to those videos.
Thanks

Bea, here are the videos you requested:

Baltimore videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UOL9Jh61S8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgqORp48uik

Washington D.C. videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRTYD26Kxc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9MCk6GvQO4

New York City videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrpRGZq7Z-U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue_2_dhh1zo

Did you need any other ACORN videos, ones about the multiple arrests of ACORN employees from entry level to administration in numerous states for voter fraud, or numerous other branches currently under investigation?
When you take the preponderence of the evidence on ACORN, these are not isolated, nor just recent incidents.
For an organization that receives millions in tax payer dollars, and until recently was poised to conduct the 2010 census, why don't most people realize the deal on this corrupt organization? I know why, refer to the article Howard posted on the latest Pew research and the mainstream media.

Dave write in votes are not counted in many state, NY is one of them. Third parties are not even allowed in many of the debates. I also was going to write in Ron Paul (the only one with any sense) but after learning this, I didn't waste my time, because the other two candidate's were basically the same.

The State of Nevada has a line “None of These Candidates”. It’s non-binding, so it only means embarrassment for the candidate(s) who loose to it. One of the original intents was to increase voter turnout. Over the long term it had an opposite effect. Some believe it’s because the line is non-binding. A binding option in New York would be nice. It could weed out some that are just not in touch with their constituents.

Write-ins are allowed, at least they were on my absentee ballot. And in Monroe County, they are counted and reported (as I'm sure they are in Genesee county).

I believe the system is broken, but that sounds like a good start in fixing it. I think most people vote like its a football team, the players change from year to year but no matter what they still think that color uniform is the best.

Chelsea Im not sure about absentee ballots but Im sure that if your not on a as write-in your not counted in a national election.

Here is the Monroe County election results for the 2008 General Election: http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/2008%20General%20Certification(1).pdf

Which count write-ins, and absentee ballots were not counted.

I went to NYS election board site and found no results for write-ins and we know Dave wrote in Ron Paul.

Terry-http://co.genesee.ny.us/dpt/elections/presidentresults.html

As a follow up to my earlier ACORN comments, the Senate passed legislation to end funding to the organization. This is proof that shining light on corruption can work on behalf of taxpayers. The vote was 83-7 to end the funding. Unfortunately our own Kirsten Gillibrand voted against the legislation. I have already written to her office for an explanation of her vote, I would encourage others to do the same.

Well, by golly I sure thought I wrote Dr Paul's name in there, I'm in Alabama and it isn't showing up. I must've done something wrong, it must have been counted as a blank. Egg on my face. But thanks for the link Dan it does show the write ins, I guess. Also, terry I know that the third parties are rarely invited to the debates and have a lot of trouble with ballot access and that should be fixed. If they had better exposure AND people actually researched the different platforms, maybe we could break the stranglehold Dems and Repubs have now. This also ties into the media post Howard has going too, the TV especially treats third parties and the major party guys who are lagging in their polls as crackpots and buffoons, which is not what I want to see when I watch the Nightly News. I'm generally hoping to get some useful unbiased info.

I still haven't found results for NYS write-ins,could be missing it.
Thanks for the link Daniel

Ok, here is the PDF from NYS Board of Elections for the official election results from the presidential elections.

The last two pages are for "official write-in candidates"

http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2008/General/President...

took all of 3 minutes to find it