Katherine Mangu-Ward on Why Your Vote Doesn't Count

Voting is widely thought to be one of the most important things a person can do. But as Managing Editor Katherine Mangu-Ward observes, the reasons people give for why they vote (and why everyone else should too) are flawed, unconvincing, and sometimes even dangerous. The case for voting relies on factual errors, misunderstandings about the duties of citizenship, and overinflated perceptions of self-worth. There are some good reasons for some people to vote some of the time. But as Mangu-Ward writes, there are a lot more bad reasons to vote, and the bad ones are more popular.