Jackson Free Press

Last year in the hot August sun, I stood at a five-way intersection in Yazoo City, passing out push cards for my mother. She was running for justice court judge in Yazoo County. As the day progressed, so did the traffic. As I busily distributed cards and bellowed, "Vote for Alva Payton Taylor," most of the response was superb. So many people gave me their word that they would take a stand and go to the polls. Some of them even put the icing on the cake saying that they would vote for Mama when they got there.

But there were a few, not the proud and certainly not the Marines, just a few who could look directly beneath the sweat on my brow and say, "I don't vote."

"I don't vote." These words are the venom in the crippled vein that is today's democracy. "How in the world will your voice be heard?!?" I shouted with both hands in the air. Of course, my dramatic gesture just fell to the ground as those non-voters walked or rode away.

The problem is that those few I met at that intersection are only a fraction of the non-voters in the city, and the state, and the country. Within the 28,272 Yazoo Countians, 17,545 are registered voter. Not all of them vote. In the state of Mississippi, more than 2 million people are eligible to vote; however, only about 900,000 voted in last year's governor's election, and less than 1 million voted four years ago in the last presidential election, according to numbers provided by the secretary of state's office. And in this great country of post-9/11 patriots, we still had only 46 percent of the voting population vote in the 2002 congressional elections, the U.S. Census reported.

The question is "why?" Why spit in the face of the Civil Rights Movement? Or why give the forefathers of this country the finger? Why not vote? Lelia Rouhi, a student at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, won first place in an essay contest about youth voting called "Why We Don't Vote?" sponsored by a voting advocacy group in Chicago. Rouhi wrote: "Political inactivity on the part of the young Americans stems from one fundamental source—a general cynicism of the American political process. This disdain for politics is further perpetuated by a lack of voter education and a needlessly archaic voting procedure that creates barriers to voting where they need not exist."

Young people who do not vote, but complain that they feel left out of the process, seem to have the answer. Doing nothing! But we can't just be fixated on the first step to solving a problem. The next thing after acknowledging that there is a problem is to do something about it. Don't just complain. Just like my buddy and JFP colleague Brett said, "If everyone who thought their vote did not matter voted, then it would matter."

Another essay contest winner, Matthew Carlson, a high school student from Washington, wrote: "In many presidential elections, numerous Americans have found themselves compromising their views and voting not for the candidate with whom they resonate best, but rather for the candidate who they dislike the least. This compromise that is forced upon the electorate is a result of the two-party system on which we rely for voting simplicity."

Matthew's statement is like one that I heard Dead Prez say on Def Poetry Jam: "Why should I vote for the lesser of two evils?" The problem with this sentiment is that without creating an alternative, you can't complain. In addition to voting in November, support your own candidate or even run for office yourself next time around. There is not enough young blood in political power. You can start small like Sean Perkins who is running for Hinds County election commissioner. Let's shut up and start moving. Here are some suggestions for getting involved. The window of time to register voters for this election is closing—as in this week. We have got to work fast helping to register people to vote. The JFP Youth Voting Rally Thursday night at Hal & Mal's is a start. Or eZra Brown's at 147 Millsaps Ave. at 7 p.m. on Friday.

The next step is motivating people to turn out. Several groups need volunteers such as MS Move, A. Philip Randolph, the NAACP, and others. Or if you are not into the group thing, go solo. Knock on doors in your neighborhood and find eligible people to register to vote. Or when Election Day comes, pledge to drive at least five other people to the polls. Promise a Blow Pop to everyone you know turning 18 this year who registers to vote on their birthday. Get creative. Lose all the sorry excuses about how you don't matter to the masses or how your voice is but a whisper in among political shouting and sing out through your actions, "I AM HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE" or something a little less corny if you prefer.

Imagine if all the non-voters got in an action chorus. What beautiful music could be made.

Ayana Taylor, a 2004 graduate of Tougaloo College, is a new JFP reporter as well as the editor of the JFP PoliticsBlog, going live this week with issues-based information on all candidates that Jackson-area voters will see on their ballot this year—from president to elections commissioner.

Visit jacksonfreepress.com/politics to view candidate pages and post your comments.