Vote or Die

To this day, I have yet to find a better vote mobilization slogan than Diddy’s circa 2004.  And with election day tomorrow, I think it’s important to remind ourselves why we need to vote.  Here are my top 5 reasons.

  1. Diddy said so.
  2. We have the right to do so.
  3. Hate a particular candidate’s ads flooding your TV time? (ahem Toomey).  Vote for their opponent.
  4. Love a particular candidate?  Make sure you do your part to see him/her elected.
  5. If you don’t, you have no right to complain about the direction you see this country to go in.

I’ve voted every year since I turned 18.  As a child accompanying my mother to the local polling location, I used to stare up at the board and wished I could punch the holes or mark my own ballot.  In a mock election in elementary school in 1992, I came home in tears when Bill Clinton lost the Eagleville Elementary vote and vowed to move to India if Bush was re-elected.  Even as a (nerdy) kid, I would look forward to the presidential debates, though I understood probably 15% of what was said.  My parents would let me stay up late on election night to watch the results come in, and I was mesmerized at the states’ changing colors until a winner was called.  I still look forward to watching the results on election night tomorrow, this time with a glass of wine instead of cookies and milk, and discussing the results with my parents, who I now force to stay up late.

You may not be this massive of a nerd.  But you should still vote.

It’s an exciting race for several reasons.  You have humorous candidates running that make Sarah Palin look like a Nobel Laureate.  You have inspiring candidates who don’t let a comical name and idiotic opposition get them down.  The country’s political landscape stands to make another drastic change from where it was 2, 4, 6 years ago, and the decisions made today will affect you for the decades to come.  Whether you love the President or hate him, are a Tea Party supporter or just love to party, make sure you take the few minutes out of your day to look up your polling place, vote, get the little sticker, and go about your day.

Also, because Diddy said so.

Why are you voting tomorrow?  Post your answers in the comments section.