Not from an AR-15

As a European, the whole registering to vote thing is honestly one of the wildest parts of the US elections to me. It’s so unnecessary complicated and prone to errors/manipulation. I just have to show up with my ID, doesn’t matter if it’s for the EU parliament or the local city senate.

I see comments like this a lot. Most important and apparently most difficult for Europeans (and others but it’s almost always Europeans) to understand is that the US is a very large country, made up of 50 semi-independent states, each with its own government and laws-- about many things, not just elections. So that’s why things are more complex here–we’re not a small monolithic nation with one single, centralized government and set of laws that apply to everyone no matter where in the country they live.

Each US State runs its own elections; a person obviously can’t be allowed to vote in more than one state. Since people can move from one state to another at any time, and even have residences in more than one state at the same time (such as college students and well-off people), it’s necessary to register with the state you will be voting in, so that you are officially able to vote in that state and no other.

update response to the replies: Funny, the replies to this post comparing the situation to that of their country with the EU is basically the relationship I was trying to explain, yet they think they have somehow refuted what I said, when actually they validated what I said. Here’s what’s really “wild”: First you call our system stupid, then when I explain our system to you, you say, “But that’s just like our system!” and then downvote me for making you realize that what you called stupid is what you also have. 😄

Read the original comment condescendingly asking “Why do you have to register to vote?” yet they are also registered to vote in their own country, but don’t even realize it because it was done automatically for them as a citizen. Your government has to track who is eligible to vote[1] and therefore in EU elections as well, one way or another, even if you don’t use the word “registered” for it.

BTW, Many US States also automatically register their residents to vote (though a person can optionally refuse that); other US states expect you to register for it yourself (perhaps some European countries too?). Each state makes its own laws about that. Once registered in a state, we can also vote in our Federal elections, just like you can vote in EU elections.

[1] Example: Germany voter eligibility:

Generally, to be allowed to vote in Germany, you need to be a German citizen who is at least 18 years old. You must also have been officially registered in the place where you’re voting, such as Berlin, for at least three months, and you must not be excluded from voting for other reasons (for example, if a court took away your right to vote because you were deemed legally incapable of making your own decisions).

I clicked on this story just to make sure someone posted that.

I’d rather have a linux OS on the phone that can run Android apps.

Several reasons that I know of and probably a lot more that I don’t, but basically ignorance and lack of critical thinking skills.

1. Our educational system is underfunded and has cut a lot of things that used to be taught, like Civics/Government, so no one knows how things work and assume the only important office is the presidency, and that it has control over everything. Other subjects and extracurricular activities that help teach critical thinking like Speech/Interpersonal communication, Current Events, Logic, Debate, etc. have been dropped or cut back to only superficial coverage. Watch some old videos of schoolchildren being interviewed about various topics and you’ll be amazed at how informed and thoughtful they were for their age back then compared to now (not to mention polite).

2. The information bubbles of social media and the algorithms that amplify disinformation on places like Facebook, X/twitter, YouTube, etc. They suck people deeper and deeper into rabbit holes of insanity. Foreign powers such as Russia, Iran, and other enemies of democracy exploit this by injecting and amplifying their own disinfo to sow anger and division.

3. and finally one of the worst offenders: FOX “News”. Ever since this station started it has been a brainwashing tool. Most of the people you are talking about, who believe all this crap, especially the older ones who are more into TV watching are avid FOX news viewers, used to listen to Rush Limbaugh on the radio and are also listening to people like Alex Jones and others like him. It all feeds on itself.

Wait, this asshole still has a radio show? I thought he was bankrupt and had to liquidate all his assets to pay damages in the Sandy Hook lawsuit. How can he be broadcasting? Who is paying for it?

No, boomers invented forums (and the internet itself). Millenials invented Web 2.0 (as they called it), the corporate takeover of the internet.

Yep, that’s him, that’s exactly how he would say it!

That’s Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle from the old Andy Griffith Show. He also played the same character on Gomer Pyle USMC

I’m surprised marketing companies don’t release their stats since they have a better idea of who everyone is going to vote for than anyone else. But then they’d have to admit that they know.

When they named it Hideaway Hills, this wasn’t the kind of hiding away they meant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymarket

I wondered if this might turn out to be somebody reading something into something, but Nope, he said it clear as a bell. You don’t accidentally say that unless you’re thinking it. This is obviously a word this guy uses frequently, and he even seems proud of himself for it.

Great news!

Oh look, Harris wanted to respond out of turn one time and the hosts shut her down after letting Trump interrupt all night.

That was so irritating! On the other hand, the more he talked the more idiotic he sounded so maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing.

JD Vance: “Stolen McDonald’s valor!”

I dunno, considering we didn’t do anything to Saudi Arabia after they killed 3000 of us in our own country I’ll guess not. (edit: fix word order)

And you can have multiple favorites lists.