Voting is bad, M'kay?

I've never been particularly enthused about voting, but I don't think Obama-era arguments against it have aged well. At least in the US, the rise of Trump and the MAGA fascists makes "both parties are the same" sentiments look silly and out of touch. I read your follow-up too. While there is some truth to it, I don't think the argument is very solid. You seem to place a bit too much faith in liberal institutions as a bulwark against the fascists.

Overall, "voting isn't very effective, so what else are you doing" is a much better approach on this topic than "voting is bad so you shouldn't do it".

Why don't you spoil the ballot instead? Draw a dick on the page (not on the guy you hate the most as you could accidentally vote for them) or something and then put that in the ballot box? It gets counted as spoiled that way instead of lazy non-voter who didn't vote because they are lazy.

Why would anyone listen to you if you won't give any party your support, or vote for the 3rd/single issue party? They are looked at by the main parties and could get something added to their manifestos.

Since not voting is a valid and intended choice in most democracies, I dont see how "just" not voting does not support the system as well.

When I vote I am way more invested into what the poeple / parties I voted for do and sometimes even feel the need to defend them in social media. I also feel like I have to inform myself before an election about the choices that get presented to me. So not voting (myself) actually improved my life a little.

One idea I personally like is to actively break the rules and enable people that are not allowed to vote by giving them your vote-by-mail ballot.

Here (in France), the most common argument against voting is to not feed the arguments of "Democratic Legitimity" of the elected that was used during direct actions. That was a thing, but 30 years ago. Now, the proletariat mainly do not vote, and even through the workers that does, it is very common to here that it is pointless. So we have won. I am serious : the anarchist propaganda that aim to demonstrate that the election is a fraud is now common in our social class; this not an argument that mobilize workers against direct action.

Is the election still an issue for our mobilization ? Yes, but indirectly : it focus all the discussion and the information a year on five. It is impossible during that time to mobilize a public opinion on anything else. Talks about political parties and if we should vote or not monopolize every political topic from the media to the workplace or with friends.

If voting is pointless, to vote or not should be pointless too. Why add to the election noise in asking to not vote Q I make a deal with commies that ask me to vote : I accept to vote for a left party if they never talk of the election (or if it is very late in che campaign, if their unionize).