I have never voted before.

Ever.

I am an American citizen, but I’m not registered to vote. In past years, I never really even thought about it. This year, though, I came a little closer to putting my little drop in the bucket that may or may not make any difference at all.

Growing up, no one in my family voted either – they were all Canadian citizens and therefore weren’t allowed. I was never exposed to it, I guess, is what it comes down to.

Being around PVDD, however, has expanded my horizons a little, however reluctantly, and so this year I actually thought about actually doing it. I’ve been watching and learning about football, learning how to cook, paying more attention to politics, and other distinctly non-2N-ish activities.

So why not vote?

I think in part, I was never really interested. I wasn’t paying attention to politics, I didn’t have much to complain about how the country was run, and I was pretty much willing to go with the majority when it came to accepting the elected officials and abiding by the rules they came up with. The fact that this is my first blog ever categorized as “News and Politics” should say something salient.

I realize that to some of you, this is a completely foreign idea. To some of you, politics and voting are essential to being a responsible, upstanding citizen. I can see your point. However, if I’m not complaining about the government or the laws or anything like that, then does it matter if I voted? If I don’t really care, then am I really being irresponsible if I don’t vote?

So the thing is that lately, I have cared and I have complained, so I figure I better put my money where my mouth is and vote next time. So. No more yelling at me and making me feel like a lowlife for not voting. That was my decision and I’m comfortable with it. So there.