I want your vote...

...to count. I really do.

I know that people say that the kids today are just too darn apathetic to get out and vote. I think the problem is that people thing that their votes don't count. Or, more specifically, I feel that people would vote if they could vote their mind when they actually make the effort to head to the polls.

The problem with the voting system, as I see it, is that you can only vote FOR someone. That's great if there is a candidate who sees the world the way you see it. However, more often than not, it's not a matter of strolling to the polls to vote FOR the candidate you want to see in office; it's trying desperately to choose between two people you wouldn't let babysit for you and wouldn't trust to balance your checkbook.

When it comes right down to it, I think a lot more people would actually get out and vote if they could say, "I DON'T want this person in office," even if that was all they put on their ballot. In essence, a vote against one candidate is a vote for all of the other candidates, but not with the full weight of a vote.

If there is a candidate or candidates you would like to see in office, you should be able to vote for them. If there are others you don't want to see in office, you should be able to vote against them. If there are candidates you don't feel strongly about either way, simply don't vote either way for them.

Our technology has come a long way since this country was founded, and it seems to be that we should be able to count the ballots just as easily using this method of voting as the current way. It's more data, but it better captures the will of the people. If anyone else out there is concerned with the fact that we are electing presidents into office and they are subsequently having unbelievably low approval ratings, then let's change the voting system so that negative opinions are taken into considerations before the candidates are elected.

I honestly don't understand why this is not the way we vote for candidates already.