Sufferin' Suffrage

I had the opportunity last week to hear former NY Congresswoman Susan Molinari speak. She covered a number of interesting topics, but I was most fascinated by the fact that 32 million Americans aren't even registered to vote. I've never not voted, so the fact that people don't even bother to register is beyond me. I know I fall into a special category since I've spent most of my career working in the political arena, even depending on people to vote and keep my bosses in office. But seriously, it takes maybe thirty minutes once a year; how can you not?

So while I was processing all of this information, my sister told me about a survey she'd heard about on the radio about what it would take to convince someone to give up their right to vote. The question posed to 1,006 Americans was "For which of the following, if any, would you be willing to give up your right to vote? The trade would be anonymous."

• 10% would give up their right to vote to appear opposite Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt in a racy romance movie


• 11% would stay home to weigh 10 pounds less than they do now
  
• 12% for a $50 Olive Garden gift card
  
• 12% for two 50-yard tickets to the next Super Bowl
  
• 14% for free upgrades to fly first class for the rest of their life
  
• 15% for free gasoline for a year
  
• 18% for $25,000 cash
  
• 36% for a vaccine for cancer


• 53% wouldn't trade their right to vote

When Kristen asked me if I would give up the right to vote for a cure to cancer, I was honestly stumped. I first thought she meant we as a country would have to give up the right to vote and so I said no. But if I were the only person that had to give up my vote, and it meant a cure for cancer, I would do it. After reading the survey, I'm a little curious as to why they decided to ask about a vaccine for cancer rather than a cure, but I if we can prevent it from happening in the first place, that'd be fine by me, too.

I wonder if the 12% that would trade their vote for an Olive Garden gift card are the same ~12% that haven't even bothered to register in the first place.