Why do people vote against their best interests? It seems illogical; however, it’s not uncommon. We see it all the time: minorities supporting a racist candidate, or lower-class citizens voting for a candidate who is backed by the elite. People vote against their best interests for a variety of reasons. They could just be following the political views their parents brought them up with, or they could feel resentment towards a particular group and consequently vote against that group even if it doesn’t actually help them.
Regardless of the motive, people vote against their best interests in every election, be it at a local election or a presidential election. Thus, the obvious question comes to attention, “How does one vote in their best interests?”
1. Establish your own personal morals and beliefs
What do you value? Do you value hard work? Do you think people should have equal opportunities regardless of their background? What do you classify as basic human rights? These questions and many more are things you should begin to ask yourself as you try to establish a political party you align with.
2. Decide what issues you find the most important
Realistically, no one candidate will be able to incorporate all of your values. Therefore, it’s necessary for you to prioritize the issues a candidate must share your ideals on. For example, these issues could be healthcare, education, unemployment, taxes… the list could go on forever.
3. Be open to the ideas of others
It goes without saying that as humans, we tend to disagree, especially about politics. However, it’s ideal to remain open minded to the ideas of others. In any scenario, it’s always a valuable skill to be able to understand the perspective of those around you.
4. Get informed from an unbiased source
It’s convenient to get all your news from a source that already supports your views. You don’t have to be uncomfortable because it’s easy to agree with the information you’re presented with. Therefore, it’s crucial to get the news from an unbiased source. For example, Fox News is notoriously conservative. The Huffington Post leans towards a more liberal report. Stations or newspapers such as New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, or BBC are usually fairly neutral.
5. VOTE!!!
In 2016, nearly half of eligible voters did not bother to vote. You cannot expect your values to be represented if you don’t vote. Post-Millennials, known as Generation Z, are now eligible to vote and now have the power to reshape the legislative agenda– if they vote!!!
As Michelle Williams said in her 2020 Golden Globe acceptance speech: “Women 18 to 118, when it comes time to vote, please do so in your own self-interest. It’s what men have been doing for years.”