Vote

It's Friday

and while the weather forecast for the weekend is a little funky

I usually post up something about how I can't wait to get into the water.

Maybe a picture

Today I thought I would take a slightly different tack.

Next Tuesday is the "mid-term" election day

They call it mid term because it means we aren't in the process of electing a President.

Voter turn out tends to be lower for these elections

But all elections are important and I strongly encourage you to educate yourself and cast your ballot!

Year	Voting-age population	Voter registration	Voter turnout	Turnout of voting-age population (percent)
2008*	231,229,580	NA	132,618,580*	56.8%
2006	220,600,000	135,889,600	80,588,000	37.1%
2004	221,256,931	174,800,000	122,294,978	55.3
2002	215,473,000	150,990,598	79,830,119	37.0
2000	205,815,000	156,421,311	105,586,274	51.3
1998	200,929,000	141,850,558	73,117,022	36.4
1996	196,511,000	146,211,960	96,456,345	49.1
1994	193,650,000	130,292,822	75,105,860	38.8
1992	189,529,000	133,821,178	104,405,155	55.1
1990	185,812,000	121,105,630	67,859,189	36.5
1988	182,778,000	126,379,628	91,594,693	50.1
1986	178,566,000	118,399,984	64,991,128	36.4
1984	174,466,000	124,150,614	92,652,680	53.1
1982	169,938,000	110,671,225	67,615,576	39.8
1980	164,597,000	113,043,734	86,515,221	52.6
1978	158,373,000	103,291,265	58,917,938	37.2
1976	152,309,190	105,037,986	81,555,789	53.6
1974	146,336,000	96,199,0201	55,943,834	38.2
1972	140,776,000	97,328,541	77,718,554	55.2
1970	124,498,000	82,496,7472	58,014,338	46.6
1968	120,328,186	81,658,180	73,211,875	60.8
1966	116,132,000	76,288,2833	56,188,046	48.4
1964	114,090,000	73,715,818	70,644,592	61.9
1962	112,423,000	65,393,7514	53,141,227	47.3
1960	109,159,000	64,833,0965	68,838,204	63.1

*Source 2008 election results: http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout_2008G.html.
Read more: National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections: 1960–2008 — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html#ixzz13kk59JRs

It looks like it wasn't just Meg who didn't bother to vote.

If you look at the numbers for 2008, 57 percent of the people who could have voted actually did.

I know people don't like the whole percentages deal so let me explain it this way.

If there were 100 people who could vote, the election was decided by the 29 people who voted for the winner. The other 28 voted for the loser and 43 people just didn't bother.

Your government only represents the majority if a majority participates in the process.

So take some time read up on your local elections and vote!

Check out the Rally to Restore Sanity

or

the March to Keep Fear Alive