- Anav Oommen | Staff
- Oct 27, 2025 (DailyCal.org)
Once again, democracy is in danger. I am well aware that this is every incendiary late night news program’s favorite saying. For as long as I have been alive, the political ethos has always echoed the sentiment that if X were to happen, democracy, America, the picket-fenced lawn that you so delicately care for, is gone. Erased. Never to be seen again. And every time, the worst has happened, and we still exist. However, I truly believe that the future of democratic processes in America is being held by a little boy with his thumb in the dam, and unfortunately, we are that little boy.
I am alluding to the upcoming special election that features Proposition 50, a temporary amendment to the California Constitution that would redistrict congressional boundaries, adding new seats intended for Democrats. And why would they propose such a divisive future? Well, this amendment is a strategic response to a recent Texas redistricting, which gave the Lone Star State — and more specifically, Republicans — a partisan edge in Congress.
But you probably know this — Sproul is filled to the brim with ardent undergrads explaining and proselytizing both sides. For a quick recap, the average “yes” voter wishes to stand up for democracy, maintain normal order and offset Texas’s newfound power. They are most likely concerned about President Trump’s brazen power grabs, the future of this country and also enjoy Sunday brunch. The average NO voter wishes to stand up for democracy, slow the rate of polarization in America and avoid setting hastily made precedents. They are most likely concerned with the maintenance of the status quo, the permanence of temporary government programs, and they, too, enjoy Sunday brunch.
Caesar stood at the banks of the Rubicon River. Crossing it meant Roman civil war. It was the point of no return, a choice that would determine history. Now, this is America’s Rubicon. Will we dig deeper into partisan trenches to avoid the artillery? Or will we continue on as is, hoping that these next few years are just a rough patch? Will we cross this river? Now this is the opinion section of The Daily Californian, and you are probably expecting an opinion. So, I, Anav Oommen, The Daily California’s grizzled veteran soapbox writer, will be voting “yes” on Proposition 50. But prior to reaching “yes,” I was set on “no.” But even more prior to that, I was not voting. I felt that I could not vote for either side in good conscience: I could neither endorse the amplification of polarization nor the blatant erosion of democracy. Thus, I chose to be democratically abstinent.
This is who I am trying to reach: the undecided voter, not in regard to side, but those lovely, torn people who choose to not choose. I guess what I am asking is: Is there ever a good reason to not vote?
The most frequent reason cited for democratic abstinence in winner-take-all electoral systems is that both options suck — they are all bad, the shiniest of two turds, etc. Usually, I am hesitant to accept this reason because one option will always be better regarding your core issues. Take the most recent presidential election between Kamala Harris and President Trump. Yes, both options are not ideal, but in retrospect, one was better for the general quality of life.
This special election presents an even greater challenge, as there is no evident “better-than” answer. I have been “yes,” I have been “no,” I have seen both fields and neither are greener. I was so drawn to abstinence because I could not willingly vote for the idea of increasing polarization and minimizing minority voices, or vote to bequeath Trump an increasingly adroit grip on strong-arming American institutions.
But this paralysis is exactly the point. The goal of maladaptive change is to lapidify action, enveloping you between the rock and the hard place. It is easier to choose indecision when the issue forces you to confront the foundation of your beliefs because that process is not enjoyable. That process is hard and it is taxing, but it is worth it. It is your civic duty to make it worth it. So no, there is never a good reason to abstain from the democratic process. Abstaining from voting is a signal to the powers that be that you are willing to roll over. Therefore, don’t. Rise, cross the Rubicon and take action.
What is often omitted when discussing voting is its purpose. Of course, there is the obvious objective: to elect a person or pass a policy. Yet, there is a purpose that is overlooked — democracy directly translates as people-power, derived from the ancient Greek roots “demos” meaning people and “kratis” meaning power. One way to interpret this is that of a large-scale collective taking back the reins of society and distributing power amongst the people. But the other way — and the one I am partial toward — is that voting empowers you, the individual, by restoring your sense of efficacy.
There is a seemingly infinite well of novel cartoon villain schemes that hurt — and I really mean hurt — the valued members of your local, state and national community. The goal is to turn you into a statue, sitting in a chair with the news open and your hands trying to soothe your head, because no rational person can deal with this. By choosing to vote, you choose to act. “People-power” means the individual has power and the ability to reclaim it if lost.
Tyranny’s best citizen is not the fervid zealot but the nice person who lets the world choose for them. Embarking upon the uphill path of civic duty is an arduous task but a necessary one. My goal for this article was not to convince you to vote a certain way; my goal was to convince you to vote. The future of democratic institutions is at stake in this upcoming special election, prompting questions that prod at the eroding bedrock we have built our homes atop. Answer the question as you see fit, because your vote is not only valuable to us, but to yourself. The riverbed lies just beyond the Rubicon. I’ll see you in Valhalla.
