Tuesday is Election Day, but don’t vote.
Don’t vote because life is great. It could not be better. Kick up your heels. The subway is stellar. Rents are affordable. Voting won’t make a difference. It’s just the city’s next four years.
Don’t vote because there are no bums in office. Everything’s peachy. Quality of life here is better than in Seattle. We already have all the nice things.
Don’t agree? Then consider taking a few minutes to contribute to civic life and voting this Election Day.
The mayor is, of course, on the top of the ballot, and it’s worth your time to think about whom you want in charge of the city’s police, schools and purse, among many, many other issues. You also can vote for the public advocate, comptroller and borough presidents who help shape the priorities of the city around us. And even if they don’t, you’ll still be stuck watching them on TV for four years. So choose wisely.
There are judgeships and some competitive City Council contests, too. Your vote matters. In September, some council primaries were won by just a few hundred votes. General elections are different, but even in larger-turnout citywide races, seats can be won by the collective populations of a neighborhood or two.
Maybe you’re tired of unexciting candidates, and you wish there were a more direct way to practice democracy. On Tuesday, the flip side of your ballot will have three proposals. Two are amendments to the state constitution. The most important one is the choice to hold a convention to rewrite that state constitution, to which you yourself could vie to be a delegate and face the voters. Then it would be up to you to be exciting.
It’s surely a busy day for you, but these are important times. With chaos and dysfunction in Washington, let’s make sure we do our due diligence closer to home. If you think the system is rigged, abstaining won’t make it any better. Make a little dent this Election Day.
Find your poll site at vote.nyc. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Don’t be the don’t-vote-guy, or the too-busy-gal. Go vote.
