Why I Didn't Vote in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election: A Personal Perspective

Has America made voter turnout challenging, or are there other reasons why people avoid the polls? In this personal account, I share my reasoning behind not voting during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, and the complexities involved in choosing who governs us.

The Accessibility of Voting

Some people believe that non-citizens like myself cannot vote. While that's true, it gets more complicated when considering the challenges faced by citizens. According to the BBC, part of the reason for low voter turnout in the U.S. is due to restrictive voting laws, especially in Republican-controlled states, which make it difficult for minorities to vote. Additionally, some employers make it tough for working people to cast their ballots.

The Reasons for Not Voting

Others might contemplate: None of the candidates is deemed worthy of serving as president. Their vote won't matter. It's too inconvenient to go to the polling station. Time off work is not available.

My Reasons for Not Voting

For me, there were two primary reasons for deciding against voting in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election:

1. Non-Citizen Status

As someone who is not a citizen of the United States, I naturally cannot vote for the president or any other official positions in the federal government.

2. Cynicism towards the Candidates

My second reason was more personal and based on my abhorrence towards the candidates. I wouldn't want to be governed by a man who is more suited to be wrapped in a cheap suit and disguised as a wig, rather than as Donald Trump. This is a literal statement rather than a metaphorical one. The choice between a dumpster fire and Trump would leave me feeling forced to pick the dumpster fire, albeit reluctantly, as it might still be the lesser evil. How can anyone look at the evil, malevolent figure of Trump and believe, 'Yep! He'll do!'?

My mind continues to boggle over the course of events in 2016 and the subsequent years, feeling like we've been trolled by an evil god, with a stream of improbable events almost calculated to make us give up and seek an off switch in a virtual reality machine. Could this be real? It feels like a massive glitch in the matrix!

Before Trump's election, there was no conceivable way anyone could have pitched a movie that mirrored even half of the actual reality of his presidency. If not for witnessing the unfolding events with my own eyes, I would never have believed it even as a dark comedy.

My reasons are simple: I am not a fan of white supremacists, incompetent leaders, compulsive liars, compulsive narcissists, people incapable of empathy, or people who deliberately increase the chances of death for hundreds of thousands of people through stupidity and ineptitude. I also cannot stomach bitch-ass cowards or men who admit to finding their daughters sexually attractive. Trump embodying all of these qualities made me weary of electing him as President.

These are my reasons for not voting in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, reflecting on how complex and challenging the electoral process can be.