this is a wonderfully stated post. please know you have options outside of the two-party system and that your vote is very valuable to such candidates. i’m a lifelong democrat who supported obama in our last election yet who cannot support him again due to many reasons including the signing of NDAA and the start of more wars. regardless of why i opted away from obama, i was happy to jump on board with gary johnson, a libertarian. if he, as a third party candidate, receives at least 5% of the vote, it breaks the mold of the two-party system and allows libertarian candidates to receive equal ballot access and federal funding. being a democrat in california, i too never felt i had to vote (even though i did!). the state was always going to go blue. but now, my contribution to the 5% makes a huge difference. to me, a vote for a third party candidate is the only way to get us out of the two-party tug-of-war and i’m proud to be a step in that direction today. don’t want to tell you who to vote for by any means, but just that there are options outside of obama and romney. casting those votes will not get one of those candidates in this year, but can make a long-term impact with future funding and ballot access.

I didn't in the last election (also NY, so pointless) and so many people chewed me out for it. Once we get rid of the electoral college or I use my parents' address in Florida to commit voter fraud, then I'll care about voting.