What if they held an election & nobody voted?

[BroomJockey]

State gov't vary.

So Federal, yeah, they're fixed, beyond that, not necessarily. Good to know I'm not completely out to lunch.

[AFPheonix]

And then there's special elections, and elections for initiatives to be brought before the voters, blah blah blah.


Thank god for mail in ballots in this state.

[Tanasi]

They forgot. Isn't there someone who's job it is to go "Hey, elections are on X day?" I thought they were all fixed terms in the US, anyways? Or is that just Pres/Senate?

I believe the election in question only dealt with local municiple offices like mayor and what not. Depending upon the state it's either a local individual or a committee's job to make sure the elections are held according to state and federal laws. I know of a local politican that was so busy running for office that he forgot to submit his application and petition to the election commission. His so-called oppentent ran un-opposed.
In my county we only have one year out of four that we do not have some sort of election going on. Federal and state on years two and four and local city elections on either year one or three. I think this is our off year as I've not seen any campaign signs. I truely wish at time that campaigning and fundraising would be limited to 4 months or less prior to the actual election, I get so tired of the constant politiking and begging for money by politicians.

[Greenday]

Trust me, if it means getting laid off because there's no funding, unless every candidate is an absolute extremist nutjob, I'd get my ass out to vote to save my job. Or better yet, I'd go and vote for myself and win.

[Tanasi]

Trust me, if it means getting laid off because there's no funding, unless every candidate is an absolute extremist nutjob, I'd get my ass out to vote to save my job. Or better yet, I'd go and vote for myself and win.

Bringing up voting for yourself reminded me that last year in a neighboring county a woman was elected as one of the county's constantables and the only vote cast was by her for herself. Heck her father the other county constatable didn't vote for her.
I make a big deal of voting to my kids. I remind them of the folks that have fought and those that died getting them this privilege. Our county used to let the kids vote on actual voting machines and gave them candy for voting. This program was to encourage not only them but their parents to vote. Alas our democrat controlled county election commission deemed the program too expensive to continue, especially after the local democrats kept loosing the kids elections.
All that being typed I and my wife still take our youngest kids with us to vote. They stand there in the voting booth with us and watch democracy in action.

[Vagabond]

I don't vote. For anything. Ever.
I don't want to encourage politicians.
I may be wrong, but I really don't like the life-long politicians where that is the only 'job' they've ever had and not worked a day in their life.
The Senators and Congressmen can vote themselves pay raises, and raise taxes? And... do they pay taxes, or do they just know all the loopholes and with their associated perks can avoid alot of the taxes?
And they can be in congress or the senate almost indefinitely? Even the President of the U.S. has a term limit - why not Senators and Congressmen? Seems kind of shady. Especially when you consider people like Strom Thurmond - 100 years old Senator. There probably ought to be a time when you just give up and retire.
I'm not saying all politicians, Senators and Congressmen are like that. But when their resume reads something along the lines of: "Graduated with a Law Degree, Congressman, Senator." That is NOT the kind of person I want to represent me.
I haven't checked my facts, but I think in the earlier days of the U.S., the politicians weren't necessarily paid, or paid a pittance, so they actually had to have real jobs besides being a politician. Wouldn't that be nice?

[Mytical]

If you don't vote, in my opinion, you loose the right to complain. If you vote, even if your vote is on the side that lost, then yeah complain away. Even if you don't think your vote counts, or matters, or whatever. Would be like never eating at a restaurant and complaining about the food they serve.

[jackfaire]

If you don't vote, in my opinion, you loose the right to complain. If you vote, even if your vote is on the side that lost, then yeah complain away. Even if you don't think your vote counts, or matters, or whatever. Would be like never eating at a restaurant and complaining about the food they serve.

I disagree. If you never vote on anything and refuse to involve yourself then yes you lose the right to complain however.

I vote on issues, measures, etc. I don't always vote on people for a job because I will not vote for someone I don't want in an office to beat someone else I also don't want in office just so that I can complain that the guy I voted into office that I didn't want there in the first place is doing the shitty job I knew he would do.

[Vagabond]

I don't complain usually about the politician - I already know he's a lying, thieving conman - by the fact of him/her even being a politician.
I'm saying the system should be altered to discourage those parasites in the first place - but that won't happen because the parasites are the ones in power.