Americans Who Chose Not To Vote In The 2024 Election Are Sharing Whether They Regret It
"I didn't expect it to be this bad."
In light of Donald Trump's nearly nine months of second-term presidency, Americans who voluntarily abstained from voting in the 2024 presidential election are sharing whether or not they regret it.
A person in a suit speaks while seated at a desk in an official setting. An emblem is visible in the background
A person delivers a speech at a podium, wearing an off-shoulder outfit. The background is plain, emphasizing the speaker
Here's what they're saying:
Note: Responses courtesy of this Reddit thread. Some have been edited for clarity.
1. "[I feel] Terrible. I've always hated politics. IMO 99% are liars just interested in gathering more wealth, promising whatever they need to promise, regardless of whether they have any intention of following through."
"I felt that until the two-party system is gone, votes don't matter because Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin. Apparently, I was wrong. I didn't expect it to be this bad. Maybe I trusted the checks and balances too much. I'm not sure. I do know this is way worse than I ever imagined, and if I had known better, I'd have done a lot differently. If there's another opportunity, I will 100% be voting."
2. "I didn't vote for president. I have a hard time with the whole 'lesser of two evils.'"
"However, now, I feel like absolute shit and regret that decision more than ever. I've made a promise to myself to never let that happen again."
3.
"That being said, this is the first time I feel that the axis has been shifted to the point where it no longer feels like rebelling against a system... I know I made the wrong choice this time by not voting.Advertisement
I now feel an extreme level of guilt, and my fears about the fate of our economy are at the bottom of the list. The thing I’m most worried about now is the safety of anyone/everyone of ethnic or racial diversity in the United States. As a white male with what I consider a good set of objective moral beliefs, devoid of any religious or political biases, I feel like I have failed so many people. I wish there were some way I could publicly apologize to all of the millions of people whose lives have been or will be ruined in the coming months/years. I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach."
—anonymous
4.
"They cut the throat of anyone who doesn't viciously attack everyone who doesn't buy their program 100%. ANY deviation from approved doctrine is grounds for incredibly abusive behavior. There's no introspection on the left. There's no gray. 'Us or nazi' is too disgustingly simple. They seek to control more of your everyday life than the conservatives do. Choose your relationships, restaurants, where you shop, and where you work based on approved politics. Divorce your disagreeing spouse, alienate your family, hate your neighbor. Your political identity is your ONLY identity. Party first. No criticisms. They will not tolerate anything that may erode the perception of infallible righteousness. Proof of that is even now, post-loss. It's everyone else's fault. Never mind that they continue to treat minorities as if they're white-knighting them in the most insulting ways possible, and calling minorities who don't vote their way 'self-hating.' The left....has proven itself to be more openly hateful and dangerous than the right, and I can't be a part of that."—anonymous
5.
—Umikotks6.
"The moment any opposing views or arguments come up, it turns to hate, and other topics get thrown in that aren't in the conversation. How do I feel about my decision? The same as if I voted. Hopeless and unheard."—hamsandwich09
7.
—Antique_Can_13218.
"I fought hard during the last voting cycle when it looked like there was a possibility of getting a Democrat in the legislature, asking all my friends and family to vote. It was the closest race we've had in a while and still ended up being something like a 15% difference."—twineffect
9.
"As we plunge into fascism, it’s important to blame the people we elected, whose salaries we paid, for failing to do their jobs, rather than blaming voters. Campaigns exist to earn votes. Elections exist so that POPULAR IDEAS can be voted for. NOT so that a slightly less fascistic candidate can guilt-trip you into voting for them."—RenegadeSloth
