So? What are those reasons?
- “I don’t like either option”: pick the lesser evil or vote third party
- “But Harris won’t stop the genocide in Palestine”: neither will Trump.
- “My vote wouldn’t change anything”: it would. See OP.
- “I can’t vote because I have to work”: vote by mail. Demand that elections are held on a Sunday or national holiday like in most other western democracies. (As an aside, I wonder why conservatives haven’t pushed for this yet. Voting on a Sunday and setting up polling stations next to churches would probably help them a lot)
- “I can’t vote because I can’t physically get to a polling station (disabled, sick, too far)”: vote by mail
- “I can’t vote because my state’s ruling party won’t let me”: you should be furious about this and do anything in your power to change this.
Did I forget any? Probably. Enough to change the election outcome in the majority of states? Most certainly not.
Yes, the US have some fucked up rules that make voting hard for some people and for that exact reason urgently need a voting system reform. Make voting easier and make changes that break the two party system.
Honestly, here in Germany we’re infamous for still using fax machines for half our bureaucracy and even we manage to do it better than you. Here, elections are always on a Sunday when the vast majority of voters has the day off. Every elegible citizen gets a letter a couple of weeks before the election, informing them of their assigned polling station, based on their primary home address. If for any reason you can’t be at your assigned polling station on election day (you work on Sundays, are on vacation, whatever), requesting a mail-in ballot is as easy as going to a website and entering your address and a PIN from the letter. Alternatively you can request one by mail. If for any reason you don’t get that initial letter, figure out which polling station is the correct one for you (usually the closest one; ask your neighbors), show up on election day and show some government-issued ID. Done.
Honestly, that was the option I had hoped for when I made that joke. I‘m happy for you.