Top 5 Reasons to Vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections

1.   Voting is not just a right and a responsibility but also an opportunity for thanksgiving. Think of Russia, China, Iran, most Middle Eastern countries and other repressive countries where voting is either non-existent or a cruel joke with pre-determined outcomes. Yes, we have our own problems - gerrymandering, arcane laws (popular vote versus electoral college), suffrage suppression for the marginalized, bankrolling of candidates by moneyed interests, unchecked corporate power - but these are insignificant compared to countries where the “will of the people” is an oxymoron and where citizens languish or die in prison for daring to dream of democracy. We vote not only to decide the kind of government we want at all levels but also to express our gratitude for living in a free and pluralistic country, however flawed.

2 2. Casting the ballot makes a difference. Some say our votes will not make a dent in the status quo, so why bother? Of all the reasons cited for not voting, this one is the most damaging. Unless we make our multitudinous voices heard through the ballot, how can we expect the changes we want? If this is not persuasive enough, consider this: The simple yet profound act of voting can change the voter. The first step to changing a country, or even the world, is to change ourselves.

33. Honor the 26th amendment. We get into passionate arguments about the 2^nd Amendment for its implications on gun control but we rarely talk about the 26^th Amendment, ratified in July 1971, that gives Americans 18 years or older the right to vote. So, if you fall in this category or call yourself Gen Z, Gen X, Millennial, baby boomer, octogenarian, or centenarian, vote! While we are at it, why not shoot for the stars? In the 2020 presidential election, 67% of eligible voters - about 160 million Americans - voted, the most in our history. But that also meant that 80 million Americans million did not vote. In this midterm let’s set a record: 80% or 200 million.

44. Transcend political affiliations by voting for values and principles. If your values and principles coincide with your affiliations, you are among the lucky ones. For most of us, however, putting principles over politics and pocketbooks can be gut-wrenching. Yet this is what we must do if it serves the common good of the country. Be an informed voter by studying where the candidates stand and the pros and cons of propositions. Don’t fall for the flashy flyer, social media sensationalism or pre-election polls. Voting is an obligation that requires us to be knowledgeable about who and what we vote for or against, and how it aligns with our deepest beliefs. Read voter information guides and unbiased reports on the Internet. Informed voters put acumen over anger and facts over fear.

5 5. A consequential election. It is in human nature to think that our times are the most pivotal in history. Still, it is no exaggeration to say that the results of the 2022 midterm election will define the direction of our country for the foreseeable future, in particular, whether democracy will flourish or be on life-support. With our ballots, we can decide whether we will have freedom of choice, whether everyone will be equal under the law, whether candidates will speak truth to power or are too beholden to demagogues and lobbies to be not just useless but dangerous.

By voting as informed citizens we can ensure a bright future for our nation. Vote, so that through the fog of deception, despair and denial, the sound of democracy comes through loud and clear.