Citizenship

Get out and vote

by Mary Beth Polley

Far from the world of Starbucks and Urban Outfitters, where twentysomethings dwell on everything from the state of the economy to the last episode of Friends, Kuwaiti women have their sights on something much more fundamental: their rights as citizens. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that hundreds of women throughout Kuwait tried to register to vote and were ignored. This was the third time in recent months that their attempts to gain political rights had been denied.

In November, the all-male Kuwaiti legislature rejected a bill that would have given women the rights to vote and to run for political office. The previous week, the country's parliament had turned down a similar order by Kuwait's ruler. Kuwaiti law reserves the vote for men over age 21 who have lived in Kuwait for at least 20 years. This means that 14 percent of the Kuwaiti population makes decisions for the entire nation.

That thought may be depressing, but at least Kuwaiti activists are actively seeking change. By comparison, in the US -- where any citizen over age 18 is eligible to vote -- the 1996 presidential election had the lowest voter turnout in more than 30 years, with declines in almost every age group. And there's no reason to think this year's election won't bring more of the same.

Just under 55 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots four years ago, and the majority of those voters were white men and women over the age of 45. Remember, these are the people who grew up watching Ozzie and Harriet and spend more time planning for their retirement than for their first IPO. Do you really want these people making all the crucial decisions? If not, then get out and vote yourself. At least it's an option.

The deadline to register for the Massachusetts primary is February 16. You can order registration materials online at http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/sec or http://www.fec.gov, or pick up the phone and dial (800) 462-VOTE. You can also register in person at your local Department of Motor Vehicles or town hall. Once you're registered, take a few minutes March 7 to actually vote in the presidential primary.

Anyone can talk about politics and the future of America, but few people ever do anything about it. It's not hard to become one of those few.