What motivates you to vote?

I've typically been the political geek among my circle of friends, most often the only one who seems to even care about politics. This year I've seen an increase in my friends tuning in and taking a stand on who they will vote for, and, ...it's exciting!!!

I'm finding myself asking the same rhetorical question the past couple of days - what motivates someone to vote (or not vote), and more specifically, what motivates one to vote for one candidate over the other?

In my insatiable thirst for coming to the most concrete defensible explanation on who I'm voting for I've tried to pick the brains of those who have decided. Some won't talk about their reasons, which I still don't understand, but hey, who's criticizing? Some seem to be motivated by their own circumstances economically and socially, some point to things said in the media or by those famous "they" sayers (when someone can tell me who "they" is I'll offer a compelling prize), others are voting with their political party lines, some are voting for whoever their parents vote for, and others give me reasons that are too shameful to record in writing.

This year I vote for my daughter's future and all my other favorite sons and daughters out there, I vote for my parents who will be at retirement age sooner than later, I vote for my husband who is beginning a career in public service, I vote for the people of other nations we impact, I vote for those less fortunate who seem to be forgotten, I vote for those who feel helpless, lost and desperate... (this almost looks like my prayer list)...

I vote.