What I Hate About Elections

I believe that voting is a right that many Americans take for granted. I know that I haven't always taken it as seriously as I should. Even though it can seem like my single vote can't possibly have much impact, it would be disastrous if everyone felt that way and just stayed home on election day. Can you even imagine what it would be like to not have a say in how your country is governed? To just have to accept whatever those in power decide? *shakes head*

Our government is far from perfect. There can be little disagreement on that. We, as private citizens, can simply get involved to the best of our ability and support elected officials who want the same things for our nation as we do. Though I surely don't need to remind anyone, please get out and vote!

That being said, election time can certainly get on one's nerves. I don't want to minimize its importance, but the season lasts even longer than the retail industry's Christmas shopping season (and that seemed to start even before all the back-to-school supplies were off the shelves). I'll be glad that tomorrow, barring any hanging chads, we'll have an idea of the direction our country will be taking during the next four years. That's the big thing. But I must admit that I'll be similarly pleased that the trappings of the season will be done.

• Robocalls: Surely one of the most hated marketing tools, if only for their frequency. Unfortunately, live callers don't score much higher in my book. Thank goodness for an answering machine and for caller ID. A phone call is not in any way going to influence my decision. Trust me: Don't call us. We'll call you.
• Mailers: This is usually just a waste of paper. I'm not saying that all mailed advertisements are useless. But if I see it's candidate-related, I'm likely to toss it without reading it. When I skim them, I usually see only exaggerations and half-truths. Sure, there are footnotes proving the source of the statistics. But we all know that facts can be manipulated and "spun" to make your point.
• TV Ads: Let's pull the image of our candidate at his best and the other guy at his worst.  Then let's add an out-of-context sound bite. Ads can certainly bring issues to our attention and prompt us to look for more impartial information. But just like a single commercial isn't going to determine how I spend my money on a major purchase, I'm not going to cast my vote based on which ad I like best.
• The "Other" Guy: Speaking of ads... It seems to me that the majority of ads I see and hear try to make me aware of everything "the other guy" did. (And, of course, I include female candidates, as well. In this case, "guy" does not refer to either gender in particular.) He voted against this! She supported this action! They don't care about what you want! How about you tell me what you have done and why? What do you want to accomplish?
• Hatred: I think Candidate X is best. You prefer Candidate Y. Fair enough. Perhaps we can discuss why we hold those opinions, though neither is likely to change their mind. You are all welcome to post a status, hang a sign, cheer at a rally, or wear a t-shirt reflecting your choice. Just remember that every other citizen has the same right. Name-calling, bullying, and insulting are uncalled for and childish. When you spout venom, it really reflects the worst on you.
• Premature Results: I check in periodically on election results. It's interesting to see the trends and how they can change throughout the evening. But my biggest pet peeve is when the media starts "calling it" so early in the night. Can you really determine the outcome with, say, 10 percent of the vote counted? Really? Perhaps historically those early returns are indicative of the final result. But I'd rather just see the actual numbers and wait to hear the winner's name when it's definite.

In spite of all the negatives I associate with elections, I tolerate them for the greater good. Voting is a right and a privilege. I am proud to be an American, and I am proud to have voted today.