Comments Elsewhere

Jeremy,

Furthermore, I know that my participation is interpreted as support for the institution, regardless of my electoral choice or my intent in voting.

Well, sure, but won’t your refusal to vote be interpreted—by exactly the same people—as acquiescing to the political status quo?

You could say that it’s not just a matter of refusing to vote, it’s a matter of refusing to vote plus explaining to people why you’re refusing to participate in the election. But then couldn’t you just as easily choose to vote plus explain to people why you are choosing to participate in the political process?

That said, there are circumstances under which I would vote. I would vote if I were willing to back up my electoral choice with violent action. In such a case my vote is a proxy for my own willingness to compel others to accept a just outcome. However, I see no scenario where that kind of circumstance is likely to occur.

If I lived in South Dakota, I’d vote to repeal the state abortion ban in the upcoming referendum on precisely these grounds. If Michigan ever ends up with a referendum to restore the death penalty — which is not at all out of the realm of possibility — I think that voting against that would be another clear-cut instance.