For those people that have reached the age and are franchised to vote in your countries elections: Do you think your vote counts? Or do you feel it’s just a waste of your time?

For my opinion, I believe my vote counts, and I vote each and every chance I get. Even in the military, I was able to vote in every hometown election I had for 20 years, when I made the effort to get an absentee ballet to do it. One time, a county election back home was decided by one vote. An absentee ballot vote. I like to think it was mine.

What say you all?

I think your vote counts, and when I can vote mine will too. Your story is a testment to the value of a vote. As citizens we have an obligation to vote. I voted absolutely.

Voting is very important. You cant really complain about virtually anything if you just hadn't voted.
Some Europeans are very skeptical about the value of democracy in the US because we hear that percentage of voting people is way lower there than here in Europe. They simply ignore how many more intermediate elections the Americans have: the Americans vote for pretty much everything ( full fledged democracy ), like municipalities, counties, assemblies of various kind, and so forth. American bureaucracy is less schlerotized than ours and spoil system grants more change.
On top of that, this last European Elections miserably proved how snobish and wrong that criticism is : European Elections saw an average percentage of 40 % voters, with many countries at 20 % levels. Italy had it at 74 % but thats been an exception. As a matter of fact, your vote counts, to the extent that it makes you feel a citizen of your own country and allows you to intervene on the public sphere.

BTW, Mark: one of the options is that one's country has no elections. Let me say that this is very naive of you; someone from a country with no elections would be someone from a dictatorial country, i.e. someone who would NOT be allowed to take part of this forum because of foreseeable censorship and stuff.

I vote, and i do think my vote counts, I did however not wote in the EU Parlament election. Mainly because i forgot about it

Originally Posted by AlexKall

I vote, and i do think my vote counts, I did however not wote in the EU Parlament election. Mainly because i forgot about it

See ?

are u telling me that they sustaned that sugestion about 15 and over can vote??

Originally Posted by Marksman

are u telling me that they sustaned that sugestion about 15 and over can vote??

What ?

i'v heard somewhere that some states are about to give power of vote to teenagers

BTW, Mark: one of the options is that one's country has no elections. Let me say that this is very naive of you; someone from a country with no elections would be someone from a dictatorial country, i.e. someone who would NOT be allowed to take part of this forum because of foreseeable censorship and stuff.

Now now...some countrys a still ruled by kings or established monarchys with no imputs required from the subjects. I dont think all kindoms are absolute dictatorships. You have to give everyone a consideration to voice something, in this forum.

no I aint that naive...

Yeah I know you are not, man.