YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vwn1ZKXD3pE
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View count:774,927
Likes:29,817
Comments:4,065
Duration:03:38
Uploaded:2016-08-09
Last sync:2024-03-27 00:15

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MLA Full: "Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not)." YouTube, uploaded by vlogbrothers, 9 August 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwn1ZKXD3pE.
MLA Inline: (vlogbrothers, 2016)
APA Full: vlogbrothers. (2016, August 9). Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vwn1ZKXD3pE
APA Inline: (vlogbrothers, 2016)
Chicago Full: vlogbrothers, "Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not).", August 9, 2016, YouTube, 03:38,
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vwn1ZKXD3pE.
Find out how to register to vote, get sample ballots, and be prepared to vote this November by finding your state here: https://www.youtube.com/c/howtovoteineverystate

Ballotpedia has LOTS of information about elected officials and candidates for office to help you get informed: https://ballotpedia.org/

In which John discusses the great shame of my life, the six explanations eligible voters most commonly cited for not voting, and the importance of doing the work (and it is work!) to participate in U.S. political life by voting on November 8, 2016.


Look below to find your state:

STATES
Alabama - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ragLSjBiGIc
Alaska - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZd7Rp4m8gs
Arizona - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1fKol8tBV8
Arkansas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfCrwRUQJ3Q
California - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTF5o-Ma1Yg
Colorado - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YbN3aXcz98
Connecticut - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj3UgguB9Nc
Delaware - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8wwn3LA9uk
Florida - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlNCOrYkQBI
Georgia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap0e_O2RiLw
Hawaii - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n6xAo2T-6o
Idaho - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9RguBn58Iw
Illinois - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8msQE61eREE
Indiana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E2Whkw6wJw
Iowa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEN3Wuo2RmI
Kansas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwsELW1L0nM
Kentucky - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLarfndxNAg
Louisiana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtPU67RznWQ
Maine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1gdYGvoXEA
Maryland - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBtYKEt5FU
Massachusetts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uZywLgUWr0
Michigan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_pk22R6O7w
Minnesota - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtXybSbIOMc
Mississippi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOUNGL5mdDI
Missouri - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU-IlCoBi-8
Montana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLAUFj-4zXY
Nebraska - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Y562yAbyo
Nevada - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2_lHK93f8s
New Hampshire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8nJ95oCPU0
New Jersey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDEaYHbGieo
New Mexico - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RKCG5_Uq_Q
New York - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K5a_NmSoYE
North Carolina - https://youtu.be/14AJJjXjknQ
North Dakota - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFJ5qeT-Jzk
Ohio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCvdjNnT0Qc
Oklahoma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPY6d-BUClc
Oregon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI8D_eWAWPo
Pennsylvania - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMJQ5pqiRNA
Rhode Island - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN5NLNqyWD0
South Carolina - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83XBcxZQaiM
South Dakota - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pduL3Yyx410
Tennessee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6fYHqrS5FA
Texas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWas4N2d-0E
Utah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpFw9EvEjWY
Vermont - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdVjzsLbrpU
Virginia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogth3fmIaME
Washington - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju1maRPLz8Y
West Virginia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GidAHJ8O8Gw
Wisconsin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Uek3S1BUs
Wyoming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZropUXblV8I

OTHER
Washington DC - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caPj8bMmC1Y
Unincoporated Territories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwMyflTCFLc
Military and Overseas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg5Qh4anBZE


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Good morning Hank it's Tuesday. Thank you for the brilliant and astonishingly comprehensive youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate.
After seeing it, I went on Twitter and asked eligible American voters who don't intend to vote what their reasoning was, and today I want to respond to the six concerns I heard most.

Number 1, by far, 'I do not want to choose between the lesser of two evils.' Two things. First, in most states there will be more than two candidates on the presidential ballot. Secondly, I think maybe you do want to choose between the lesser of two evils. You know, because it's the less evil choice. By not voting, you're essentially ranking the candidates as equally evil which I think is technically impossible given their vastly different policy positions. Also, you're not just voting for president. I know it might feel that way because of national media coverage, but the elections down the ballot are extremely important.

It's not just your senators and your US congress people. it's your state legislators who make the laws in your state. The school board members who decide what the curriculum is going to look like in your schools. Those elections have a massive effect on the community you live in.

Okay, concern number 2. I am not informed on the issues and/or don't care.

So if you don't care who your elected representatives are we agree on this one, you should not vote. But it's not really that hard to get informed you can go to youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate, find your state, find a sample ballot then you can go to the candidates website or if it is a race for us congress or senate then there is a great site called ballotopedia link in the dooblydoo.

And if you want us to make videos about candidates' policy plan and proposals. Let us know in comments what topics you would like for us to explore.

Concern three, I'm a Republican in a blue state or a Democrat in a red state, so my vote doesn't matter.  First, you're down ballot votes might matter, but I'd argue your vote matters regardless.  Like, you're right that your vote isn't going to tip the election, but by not voting, you're making politicians in your state believe that their state is less politically diverse than it actually is, and I think that's dangerous, because a strong minority has a moderating effect on the party in power, both at national and local levels and God knows we could use some moderation.

Concern four, the system is corrupted by money and votes don't actually matter.  I agree that the system is corrupted by money, I just don't think we're gonna fix it by not voting, because not voting out of protest looks to the system exactly the same as not voting out of apathy.  Also, I don't think money negates the power of your vote, and I think rich people know this, actually, like, 57.5% of eligible American voters voted in the 2012 election, 99% of millionaires did.  Literally.

Number five, illness or disability or transportation problems.  One of my many frustrations with US voting laws is that in lots of states, it's really difficult to vote if you are sick or disabled.  But find your state in the links below and check out your options, there usually are some.  Also, if you need a ride on election day, most local political parties will pick you up and take you to the polls, even if you're not voting for their candidates.

Okay, lastly, number six, I am overwhelmed with the process of registering and have never voted before and find this whole thing intensely scary.  Yeah, I can relate, like, sixteen years ago, in August of 2000, I just moved to Chicago, but I didn't know where I technically lived, like, I was sleeping in the walk-in closet of a Chicago apartment that my name wasn't on the lease of, but my drivers' license said I lived with Mom and Dad back in Florida, where most of my stuff was, and it was a stressful and overwhelming time and I had no idea how to register and suddenly I looked up and the deadline had passed.  

It's true that the system makes it hard for people who move around a lot to vote, but I lacked the fortitude to stand up to that system, and it's one of the great shames of my life.  I feel like I failed my community and myself and also people who live far away from me who desperately want the opportunity that I took for granted.  Of course, my vote wouldn't have changed the outcomes of any elections, but the combined votes of even 10% of the thousands of people who are like me, that would have changed some outcomes.  

If you're eligible to vote in the United States, I'm asking you to become a registered and informed voter and to make your voice heard.  Even if it's hard, in fact, especially if it's hard.  Hank, I'll see you on Friday.