With the political turmoil across the country, many people who previously opted out of voting are coming back, including one Michigan resident who hasn’t voted in a decade. Reddit user Flying_2_heaven posted on r/pics, sharing a photo of the charming “I Voted” sticker featuring art from a high schooler in Dearborn Heights. OP didn’t add any description to the post beyond the title, “For the first time in 10 years.”
As expected, this reveal of a decade-long hiatus sparked quite the discussion in the post’s comment section. Countless people criticized Flying_2_heaven for staying out of the polls for so long, while plenty of others praised OP for a ‘better-late-than-never’ approach. Some people started arguing with others, debating how no one should ever be shamed for voting despite deciding not to in the past.
“Elections have consequences, vote. Seriously stop skipping votes,” demanded a commenter. “In a few years there’ll just be another dictator in the house. Never trust America again,” sighed another. “It’s not about just showing up to vote. If you aren’t familiar with the people on the ballot you are better off not filling in a vote,” remarked a third.
On the flip side, a fourth Redditor wrote, “Don’t shame someone for voting. It’s a step in the right direction. Whoever this is did more today than the majority of Reddit will do.” Another wrote in agreement: “Guilt-tripping people is an ineffective method of trying to influence behaviors. It generally leads to avoidance more than it leads to corrective actions.”
The Michigan Voter Explains Why They Voted and What Kept Them from Voting For 10 Years
One commenter asked the million-dollar question of why this Michigan resident decided to vote this year yet chose to opt out for a decade. The answers were simple: “I liked a certain candidate,” explained Flying_2_heaven. “I was physically and mentally unwell for a while and didn’t follow current events, and was checked out of society.”
As to who OP voted for in the midterms, they remarked vaguely, “I hope the humans I voted for are good people, but you can never be too sure.”
