Voting in Absentia

I excitedly rushed to the mailbox across the street this morning in order to make the 9:30AM pickup. The primary election in New York is on Super Tuesday, February 5th, and I definitely wanted to play my part as a responsible citizen. Luckily, I am still considered to be a New York resident and I can vote in the primary elections, as well as the presidential elections in November. On the other hand, Puerto Rico does not possess the right to vote for the U.S president. This is quite an irony, as those who are born in the Island of Enchantment are automatically U.S citizens.

Since I am eligible to vote in the U.S elections, I wanted to take full advantage of my rights. The last time I sent an absentee ballot was when I was away for college, and it also marked the first time I was able to vote. I consider it to be a privilege to be able to take part in the electoral process. Unfortunately, I know too many people who have lost faith, or can care less about politics, and simply don't vote. Such people don't believe their vote will result in any change. Voter participation has always been low in the U.S, and I think this is a tragedy. Now more than ever, we need to do our part and fulfill our duties. Given the current economic challenges facing the U.S, the war in Iraq, and the disastrous outcome of the Bush administration (in general), I think there should be a financial penalty given to those who are eligible to vote but choose not to.

(Please note: the image above was obtained from www.wvvotes.com)