November 6 - Pet Peeve Monday - Non Voters

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY is dedicated to all those folks that will find a reason NOT to vote on Tuesday. We have the GREATEST system of government in the world, yet this year’s eligible voter turnout will probably be fewer than 50%.

It could be that the negative campaigning has turned you off. It could be that there are too many things to vote on.

Here is what I do. I vote FOR WHAT and WHOM I KNOW ABOUT. You don’t have to fill in every box. It’s not a test where no answer is a wrong answer.

I believe that there should be an intelligence test in order to vote, but that will never fly. I also believe there should be a pre-screening mechanism in order to procreate, but that would never work. That would literally take all of the fun out of it. I’ll save those arguments for another blog.

Many people wrap themselves in the Constitution and the purported infallible wisdom of our Founding Fathers. See my 2nd Amendment criticism for more ammunition, (pun intended). Many people forget their History 101.

Most of the states decreed that only white males were eligible to vote, and most limited the vote to those white males who owned a certain amount of property. (In other words, if you were a renter, you couldn’t vote.) Since only a small minority of white males owned enough property to qualify, the vast majority of the population was denied the vote. By some estimates, less than 5% of the population were eligible to vote in the election of 1800.

The below passage is taken from Section 2, Article I, of the original US Constitution.

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.)”

After reading this three times, this is why I tell my kids that algebra is important. You try and do that math.

People, times have changed. If you can breathe, are an American citizen, and are over 18, you can vote. Hell, if some places you don't even have to be alive (Chicago) or a citizen (California).

At any rate, as most people know I’m apolitical. (insert laugh here).

However, there is one issue, I hope all Ohioans will vote on this year.

Please VOTE NO on ISSUE 4 and YES on ISSUE 5 for a SMOKE FREE OHIO.

Vote no on Issue 4, the pro-smoking constitutional amendment.

• Issue 4 keeps smoke in restaurants and many public places.


• Issue 4 leaves 500,000 hospitality workers and their customers exposed to dangerous secondhand smoke.


• Issue 4 overturns smoke-free laws already in place in Columbus and 20 other Ohio cities and prevents anyone from ever passing a smoke-free law without an amendment to the constitution.


• Big Tobacco companies back issue 4.

Vote YES on Issue 5, the real smoke-free public places law.

• Issue 5 defends your right to breathe smoke-free air in all restaurants, public places and workplaces.


• Issue 5 protects all workers, families, children and seniors from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

A YES on 5 will allow me to explain that I was stuck in traffic and not actually watching the game at the local pub. The smell of my smoke-filled clothes will no longer betray me.

Don't be fooled into skipping Issue 4 or voting for both! Issue 4 is a constitutional amendment.

If Issue 4 passes, it would cancel out Issue 5. Vote no on Issue 4.

So my PET PEEVE is that not enough people take the time to vote. Also should you see this right to vote as a privilege, so please, VOTE INTELLIGENTLY.

Don’t let your lack of voting or voting for the wrong issues provide fodder for my FUTURE PET PEEVES.

I’m J. Jay Lewis and I approved this message.