Did you get out and vote?

[Disease]

Today was election day for the 2010 Senate and gubernatorial races. Of those who are eligible to vote and live in a state holding one or more elections, who went out and did so? And to those who aren't yet legally eligible, does your family regularly vote and do you plan to once you're eighteen?

California had both gubernatorial and Senate elections going on. I went out and submitted my ballots during my lunch hour. I was glad to beat the after-work rush.

[Brandon]

I really do never vote. I should but I don't.

[Nemmyy]

I'm 18 in a month so I didn't vote, but I don't think I would've anyways. Everyone who was running was a scumbag, they all had tv campaigns talking crap about one another. My parents always vote though.

[hugsyou]

Sadly, I didn't get to vote. I wish I would of got the chance too, I have a few more years to go. /;

[Reality]

My parents say that it's a civil duty to vote; because you can't complain if you don't contribute to who is running everything.

[hugsyou]

My parents say that it's a civil duty to vote; because you can't complain if you don't contribute to who is running everything.

That's true. It's kind of ridiculous though, if we're under 18 we can't vote, we just have to put up with what's happening. We should have a voice of some type.

[Brandon]

That's true. It's kind of ridiculous though, if we're under 18 we can't vote, we just have to put up with what's happening. We should have a voice of some type.

There is a reason for this though.

My parents say that it's a civil duty to vote; because you can't complain if you don't contribute to who is running everything.

So true!

[hugsyou]

There is a reason for this though.

My parents say that it's a civil duty to vote; because you can't complain if you don't contribute to who is running everything.

So true!

Why? Because we're not mature enough? Because we're not smart enough?

[Gadget]

I'm not old enough, but if I was I would vote Republican. I am fed up with Obama.

[Disease]

Why? Because we're not mature enough? Because we're not smart enough?

Intelligence doesn't play much of an issue, at least not with teenagers. The issue is most certainly maturity and impulse. The younger you are the more prone you are to impulsive and uneducated (not to be confused with lack of intelligence) decisions. That's not to say that adults don't make the same poor choices; they obviously do. But it's less likely to see someone in their 20s make an uneducated choice in the polls than it would be for a teenager.

Younger people also have a tenancy to do things because their friends are doing it. So you'd see an increase in votes occurring just because their friends voted for the same person. This plays into the impulsive and uneducated decisions I mentioned before.

Also I believe much of the reason boils down to a minor's status as a citizen. Once upon a time the only people who were allowed to vote were those who owned land. That slowly changed into allowing minorities to vote, women and finally removing the land ownership requirement entirely. That said, legal adults have the potential to own land. And chances are they occupy their own piece of land whether they own it or rent it. Minors don't. A minor under ordinary circumstances cannot enter into a binding contract.

More importantly it's because there needs to be a line drawn somewhere. That line happens to be 18, when you become a legal adult.

I'm not old enough, but if I was I would vote Republican. I am fed up with Obama.

Obama still has a little over a year left in office. The elections occurring today are certain Senate seats (I believe 37 of the 100), House of Represenatives and a number of states also have their gubernatorial elections.