With the hubbub around here about the upcoming political convention (we’re not far from Denver), I couldn’t help but reflect on how I might cast my vote in the upcoming election.  This, of course, is not the first time I’ve pondered it.  I’m not registered under either party.  However, if you had access to the personal voting records, and I suspect that is probably more people than we’d like to believe, you would see that I vote on the conservative side of things. 

I don’t vote that way because my “momma does” or because my “husband does” or because a long time ago somebody told me “the liberals were evil”.  I vote conservatively because my beliefs, my convictions and my mindset are that of a conservative nature.  It irritates me when people just vote a particular party or moral line and don’t really know why.  Equally frustrating is when people vote (conservative or liberal) simply because “so and so” (usually a parent) does/did or “that’s just how I was raised”.  These people don’t know why they vote the way they do.  Or maybe, they think they know why but it’s all based on something someone told them and not their own personal research into the matter. 

Unfortunately, some people just vote based on hate for the other party.  If they were honest, they don’t know that the party they vote with is better, they just hate the other side for whatever reason.  We can’t forget the group who will vote for whichever party is not currently in office.  Why?  Oh because they want a change.  Huh?  Yeah, it sounds rather flippant to me too.  Who cares if the candidate can do the job, they’re “different” so that’s good enough…right?  Hmm, I’m not convinced either.

Even though I don’t agree with people who vote in any of these ways, I do respect them a tad more than those who vote based on things the candidate has no control over… like skin color or gender for instance.  I mean, I’m a woman but I certainly wouldn’t sacrifice my belief system just to get a woman into the oval office any more than I would to get a fellow “brunette” into office.  I see skin color the same way. I think it’s ignorant to vote for someone because they are or aren’t a particular color.  Color and gender are things that the candidate doesn’t have any control over.  So, why on earth would I cast my vote for or against them based on those things?  If you are thinking only one race or gender is guilty of this!  There are individuals who vote like this in all categories!

Shouldn’t it be about the issues?  Shouldn’t it be about which candidate has the right experience, is most in line with my personal beliefs and who has an agenda that I can support morally and ethically?  Of course it should, but that would mean that we can’t take “Aunt Gertrude’s” or our “BFF’s” word on it.  We have to do our homework.  We have to find out what the candidates really do stand for – not just what the media wants (or doesn’t want) us to see, and certainly not based on appearances.  We also can’t go solely on what the candidates say they believe – do their actions match up?  And what about their friends – those people do matter in the equation.  They influence them more than anyone else.  I mean, maybe you can’t choose your family but you can certainly choose your friends and mentors.  Who you choose speaks volumes about you so why wouldn’t it speak volumes about your candidate?

You may be wondering how I will cast my vote.  To be quite honest, I don’t know yet.  I don’t take this lightly and I still have some homework yet to do.  So why did I write this post?  To get you to think a bit more about how you’ll use your voice in the next election.  Why are you voting?  Who or what is influencing your vote?  Are you educated enough about the candidates to make a solid personal choice or are you just following the crowds around you?  If you were put on trial for your vote, could you clearly, articulately and morally defend your choice?

Some of you may be scoffing, “seriously, you’re out there lady, it doesn’t matter that much”..

…but what if it does?