About 26.6% of eligible voters voted for HRC ; about 26.5% of eligible voters voted for DJT.

About 46.9% of eligible voters didn't vote. Thus, by far, the biggest category of eligible voters were those who didn't care whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump became president. There are some who say that's the way it is in the decline of a civilization. Some don't care.

 

The Colin Kaepernick/Steven A. Smith topic got me to thinking about those who did not cast a ballot in the Presidential race this year. Do you have a problem with those who didn't care which candidate would become President, at least not enough to cast a ballot? Or are you okay with voting abstinence?

There Is Too Much Apathy in This Country. Too many are not even vaguely aware of the issues that affect their lives or where any candidate stands on those issues. They are blissfully or miserably ignorant. Honestly, I prefer that these folks don't vote.

Good candidates result in good turnout. IMO, most people who turned out to vote in this election turned out to vote to stop a candidate that they believed to be unfit for the presidency and many people who did not bother to vote did so for the same reason. I fall into the "voted against Hillary" category because I could not bring myself to support the election of a criminal, even passively by abstaining.

 

However, I also believe that candidates are not entitled to anybody's support and if voters do not feel that candidates have earned their support, I am okay with them abstaining. That being said, Donald Trump will soon be my president and I am cautiously optimistic about that prospect. I am also relieved that a candidate whom I believe committed impeachable crimes before the election was stopped before she could do even more damage to this nation than she has already done.

Good candidates result in good turnout. IMO, most people who turned out to vote in this election turned out to vote to stop a candidate that they believed to be unfit for the presidency and many people who did not bother to vote did so for the same reason. I fall into the "voted against Hillary" category because I could not bring myself to support the election of a criminal, even passively by abstaining.

 

However, I also believe that candidates are not entitled to anybody's support and if voters do not feel that candidates have earned their support, I am okay with them abstaining. That being said, Donald Trump will soon be my president and I am cautiously optimistic about that prospect. I am also relieved that a candidate whom I believe committed impeachable crimes before the election was stopped before she could do even more damage to this nation than she has already done.

 

If thats the case then we havent had a good candidate in quite some time. Unless 3-4% of registered voters voting in one election vs not in another somehow equates to good turnout.

If thats the case then we havent had a good candidate in quite some time. Unless 3-4% of registered voters voting in one election vs not in another somehow equates to good turnout.

Two bad candidates drove more of the turnout in this election in this election than is usually the case. It has been a long, long time since we had two outstanding candidates running in the same election, IMO. I don't believe that it has happened in my lifetime, so fear and loathing has been as much a motivator as enthusiasm and affection has been.

 

I do not recall any election in which more Republicans and Democrats turned out to vote against a candidate that they saw as a threat to the country's future than in this one. I have no issue with negative campaigning, but IMO, this was the most negative campaign in my lifetime. Both Hillary and Trump spent more time vilifying their opponent than they spent presenting a positive vision of their own. There was a lot not to like about both candidates.

IMO there are a lot of issues to voter turnout.

 

1. Election Day is not convenient. Americans have busy lives and the majority of the nation requires voters to show at the polls on a workday.

2. Electoral college adds in. There is no push in deep red states for blue voters to get out and the same for deep blue, so they stay at home.

3. Apathy. Spoiled Americans

4. Bad candidates. I'm not sure if there can be a good candidate by the time the other side gets done with them.

Delete

It is a persons right not to vote.

 

I feel there is too much apathy in the country. I personally don't understand it. Men and women have died protecting your right to vote. I don't think it is too much to ask of a citizen to take a few moments to vote.

There Is Too Much Apathy in This Country. Too many are not even vaguely aware of the issues that affect their lives or where any candidate stands on those issues. They are blissfully or miserably ignorant. Honestly, I prefer that these folks don't vote.

 

I totally agree. When you see news outlets or comedians do "interviews on the streets" it is absolutely amazing how many truly clueless people there are when it comes to history or politics. They can tell you the names of all the Kardashians but give you a blank stare when they are shown a picture of Joe Biden and have no idea who he is. I definitely prefer these people not vote.

People not standing up to vote bothers me more than people not standing up for the Anthem.

I feel the same way about people blaming people for not showing up to vote as I do about people blaming somebody other than a candidate for losing. No candidate is entitled to any person's vote. If candidates want votes, then it is their responsibility to earn those votes. If people do not even show up to vote, then blame the candidates.

 

Blaming voters for apathy reminds me of former Georgia governor, the late Lester Maddox's response to a question of what could be done about the horrific conditions of the state's prisons. He responded by saying that what was really needed was a better class of prisoners.

 

Voters are apathetic because of the poor performance of elected officials and the perception that nothing will change for the better, no matter how they vote. Unfortunately, they have been proven right more often than not.

 

Our politicians have lowered our expectations and still failed to meet them.

All the naive and misguided women voters should have stayed home on Nov 8th.

I know I am in a minority here, but voting is a right not a mandate in our country, just like owning a gun, etc.

 

I have never missed a vote in 44 years, however, if I chose not to vote I wouldn't feel badly or feel I should have. I don't own a gun (other than a shotgun my grandfather left me which I don't have ammo or ever used) and probably never will and I don't feel obligated to.

 

Again, if you don't like any candidate, no big deal if you don't exercise that right. Just because it is something I wouldn't choose to do and haven't chosen not to vote, doesn't mean because someone doesn't vote is un American, wrong, etc.