Votes don't count if there is no real choice

It's that time of the year (or every other year to be technical) when various groups and committees will seek to mobilize the student vote. In a few days, there will be a rush of stories talking about the lack of student motivation in voting. Do students not care?

I don't think that's quite it, though students' lack of investment in the outcome certainly plays a role. Older people have developed strong partisan affiliations that give them a reason to vote election after election. Students, however, need a more important reason to go to the polls. Looking at this year's ballot, no such reason exists.

Having talked with people who identify with both parties and those who don't identify with either, there is a profound sense of pointlessness in this year's election.

Both Rod and Judy have personally contributed to the approximate $50 billion debt this state faces despite having a constitutional requirement of a balanced budget. Both are thoroughly corrupt.

The only distinguishing characteristic is that Judy managed to escape prosecution from her time in the Ryan administration and that Rod's administration has been marred by convictions and indictments before the first terms is done. So while both are corrupt, at least Judy is smart enough not to get charged. You would be better served writing me in as governor.

The U.S. House of Representatives race is equally unremarkable. When I talked to Dr. Gill, I found him to exude the persona of a used-car salesman. That means he would fit right in with the D.C. crowd. He seemed like a fish out of water when talking about national security issues and generally can't speak beyond the talking points of his party. Dr. Gill's support for Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois shows that he will likely support that organizations continued support of abuse on little girls.

I have no impression of Rep. Johnson because he doesn't show up on campus. Interacting with voters is apparently beneath Johnson, which is not a surprise because he looks like a hobo.

I'd talk about the State Senate race between Myers and Frerichs, but all there has been to those campaigns has been stupid attack ads that impress upon me that both candidates are scum.

In short, I have no positive reason to vote for almost every candidate on the ballot. Both the DNC and GOP have decided to make their campaigns solely about not voting for the other party. Almost no race anywhere in the country is being run on issues.

All in all, it is a thoroughly uninspiring campaign season with two completely unsatisfactory choices. Students will likely not vote because it is a choice akin to choosing which candidate gets to perform the electoral equivalent of Abu Ghraib on you. Third parties might be an entertaining choice, but despite having little chance in winning most races, they'll likely be just as worthless given power.

People don't vote when the choice is meaningless. That is why few people that aren't rabid partisans will bother voting this year, including students.