Yes, I've voted everytime I was allowed (at least I don't think I missed any elections anyway). We used to have primaries here in Colorado, but I just found out we switched to the caucus method in 2004. Somehow I missed that announcement. Maybe it was because it didn't mean much in 2004. But this year, we're part of the Super Tuesday, so yes I'll be there...standing in a group of some sort I guess, based on what little information I could find about the process. I'll be blogging about it on my web page:

It seems like Democrats are very pro-celebrity endorsement, whereas some Republicans [the ones that I know] think that those 'liberals in Hollywood' should shut up and stop preaching. Chuck Norris 'endorsing' Mike Huckabee, for example, struck me as being very a-typical for a Republican candidate. There was a program on this last weekend on AMC about the Hollywood conervatives (like Patricia Heaton and Kelsey Grammar, among others) who feel a bit bitter and shut-off from being a conservative in Hollywood, and having a voice outside the 'norm'.

Being the good Democrat and ultra-liberal I am, I very much appreciate what those 'celebrity endorsements' mean. That's not to say I base my vote and/or political ideologies for or around them, but I like my movies stars to have a brain and voice their opinions. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have always topped my political chart ........... I also think that their views inform the work that they do - Shawshank Redemption and later, Dead Man Walking were inspired by political events and the making/breaking of our prison systems and capital punishment. I appreciated the interviews and work that each of them have done to bring awareness and humanity to a subject that so many seem to view in black/white parameters. I also tend to be drawn to the celebs that practice what they preach - Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins (as well as Oprah) seem to not only talk about issues and opinions, but will GO OUT and DO something about it. And that's what I'd wish for all of us .... sticking by our views, and feeling empowered enough to help change the world, rather than bitch about it. Which is why this election is so important - we've been stagnating and drooping ever-deeper into a political, economical, global sink-hole, and it's time to CHANGE! And Streisand's quote is a great one. It's why I'm also so proud of the gay community - 90%+ of us vote on a regular basis. Right effin' on!

I've babbled something wildly, I know. but my last comment has to do with School House Rock .... and *my* favorite is "How a bill becomes a law" ....... It was the only way I made it through that section of Civics in high school .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. [Mark Twain]

I don't need celebs telling me to vote. I'm sick of seeing them pimping themselves.  

"Do I have to dial 9 to call 911?"( This  quote was shared to me by a nurse who was talking about her then 14 year old  daughter who asked her  this while the father was suffering a heat stroke)

I have to say that this is the first time that I really pay close attention to the presidential race, probably also because the last time america voted, I was still a bit too young to understand all of it. things are really done differently in america, which I guess has a lot to do with the size. In austria, as in most european (if not all) countries, you don't have to register to be able to vote. as soon as you turn 18 (or 16 in some cases), you are registered and a few weeks before the election, you get a letter from your local authority tell you where to vote and then you just show up and vote. obviously, you need to have an id card with you, which seems to be a problem in america. I think due to the fact that austria only has 8 mio inhabitants, these things are so different. at the last nation-wide elections (for our government), 78% of the austrians who are allowed to vote did vote.

I find it very shocking that 20 mio woman are not voting - the first time I was allowed to vote I was so exited and I read all about the parties and tried to get as much information as possible. I think it's great that celebrities use their status to get people to vote, I highly respect that. whenever you feel strongly and passionatly about something, people will say that you are a wacko - so I wouldn't mind that. I admire susan sarandon for doing what she thinks is right and for standing up for herself and others!!

"Normal is not something to aspire to, it's something to get away from." ~ Jodie Foster

I always get annoyed whenever I hear people say, "Rock the vote", without actually giving any information on the candidates. You can't go out and vote without fully educating yourself on the candidates. Otherwise, that just trivializes the vote and the election. I'd rather see a campaign for comprehensive election education (as unbiased as it can possibly be), followed by a campaign for voting, rather than the latter alone.

That having been said, I'm still two years away from being able to vote, which sucks.

If we're discussing celebrity endorsements, then it is only appropriate to mention the new video created by the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am. Starring a variety of celebrities, big and small, they collaborate to sing a song over Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" speech. I may be biased, as an Obama supporter, but I believe it is impressive and moving regardless of your political leanings.

Here's the link. I urge you to check it out, even if only for appearances by Scarlett Johansson and Kate Walsh. ;) Enjoy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

"Whatever people consider to be normal, it never is." -Ashley Davies

I love that pic. Everytime I think suffragette I think of Glynis Jones in 'Mary Poppins'...lol.

Cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
And they'll sing in grateful chorus
"Well done, Sister Suffragette!"

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUhwA-C-ACg

 Great article, I wish I was voting there with you!

I am so curious to learn what will happen tomorrow. And so annoyed that my state won't let me caucus because I am registered as independent... (This two party system has got to go, but that's a topic for another day.)

If I could caucus, I would do so for Barack. I like his experience as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer, as well as his service in the Illinois state legislature and US Senate, and I think he can bring people together, which is what you have to do to get any good thing done.

This might be the video (with Scarlett Johansson and Kate Walsh) that Carolina Grrrl was trying to link to. Yes, we can.

This is an interesting site: you answer questions and it tells you the candidate who is (supposedly) most closely aligned with your views.

That's more people than there are living here! So an entire country isn't voting! And that's just the women... Over here with big elections around 80 percent votes, not that I'm always happy where they're voting for... I'm still not sure where I would vote for if I lived in the US. I think Hilary, just because she's a woman. But I did a little test and my first choice would be Edwards (like pretty much all the dutch people) then Hilary and then Obama. With Edwards gone, I guess I'd vote for Hilary. I think it's so wonderful finally a woman is running for president. But I also think it's wonderful a black person is running for president. But the thing is: a black guy is still a guy... Oh, I just don't know! You know what. As long as one of them wins eventually, I'm happy!

http://www.youtube.com/BetweenThaLines

I don't mind politically vocal celebrities. I don't vote based on what they say or because they tell people to. But I think if people are listening to you, you ought to say something....other than "That's hot." Most of us can only dream of the masses hearing our opinions.

People who object to Get Out the Vote campaigns on the basis that only informed voters should vote, are ignoring the descision making process.

You have to intend to make a decsion BEFORE you get informed. If you have no intention of voting, then there is no reason to be informed. Saying people should be informed before they decide they're going to vote is putting the cart in front of the horse.

I've watched the last few US elections with great interest, and some things about the American system puzzle me.  Let's face it, America's elections affect the whole world - and that debacle when George Bush Jr first sneaked in under the line really hurt us all. 

From where I sit (in Sydney, Australia) the fact that the US doesn't appear to have a national electoral body, for instance, but rather has different systems in different states, is kind of slapdash.  Also, we Aussies all use good old pencil and paper to fill in our ballots - no problems with hanging chads, hackable computer systems, etc.  It works! 

The fact that you don't have compulsory voting is, I think, unfortunate in a country that touts itself as the embodiment of democracy (which is supposed to be one vote for every person).  It means your political parties have to waste so much time, money and effort on convincing people to first register and then actually vote.  In Oz, practically everyone votes - and as long as you turn up and cross your name off the electoral roll, you can write whatever you like on your ballot paper - "you're all a pack of slags!" - if you really want to opt out!  Another curiosity is that your media is allowed to predict results in some states before polls are closed in others - that's illegal here, because it can taint the outcome.  

I'm not saying the Aussie system is perfect, but it does work really well.  Anyway, it's great to see Hillary motivating women and Barack motivating African Americans this time around.  I just hope enough liberals care enough to make us all happy come November.  Come to think about it, there's one thing about your system I really like - George Jr can't have a third term!     

In the art of persuasion creative use of peripheral cues can be the influence that pushes the campaign the extra inch, especially when dealing with the relatively naive and uninformed masses. We, as a group still struggling to find a credible voice, can not afford to let ourselves be mesmerized by the glitter of a celebrity endorsement. As far as the issue of our rights are concerned, it doesn't much matter whether you are a supporter of Obama or Clinton. However, there is a particular issue that I find Obama supporters to boast that I find quite irksome.  Sure, Obama has Oprah in his pocket, horay! How exciting! Seriously though, pretty ladies, when concidering a celebrity endorsement don't be fooled by popularity alone. Oprah has made quite a positive name for herself, supported wonderful causes, championed human rights, and the list goes on. However, she is still a talk show host and in some ways only a face to the Oprah brand. Clinton, however, has been endorsed by Dr. Maya Angelou, putting Obama's Oprah endorsement to shame, as well it should. Numerous other human rights activists and organizations, not to mention feminist and woman's rights organizations are in Clinton's corner. I understand why a lot of you may be being seduced by Obama. He charasmatic, pretty, and a wonderful speaker and he has a lot of charasmatic, pretty celebrities in his corner. In this historic time in our nations history, please, let us band together on a unified front. Weigh the issues and consider the ramifications logically.  

I've been voting for 20 years, and I still get excited every time. As disillusioned as I can get with the U.S. political system, I've never gotten blase about the actual act of voting. And it's hard for me to understand why so many people actively or passively choose not to vote.

Celebrity political endorsement is all rather foreign to me, it doesn't really happen in South Africa or the UK which is where I have lived. I find it a bit strange, to be honest. I appreciate actors, musicians etc for what they are, but I wouldn't be swayed or motivated to vote by them. However I can see that in todays celebrity obsessed culture it is a route to market, so to speak.

In the UK  and South Africa elections much more understated affair, and although there is high profile opinion, the commentary is usually delivered by people with some kind of political weight. Or in the case of South Africa, there is usually so much scandal about the politicians themselves filling the newspapers and on TV screens that there is not much time to worry about what a random celebrity thinks!

i have only voted in one presidential election and i have elegible for 5.  i voted in the last one because of my concerns about GWB gettng back into office but i feel my vote was pointless since Kerry took NY by a landslide.  i almost voted for Nader in the pres election before that one.  I think we need to break this two party system created in the last half of the 20 century and I will always be willing to vote for the 3 party candidate if they share my views.   although i have mix feelings about Michael Bloomberg if he does end out running as an Independent i may consider voting for him.  

local elections are what i am more interested in.  i see the effects more.  i did vote for hillary for ny senate but then she voted for the war...which was a backtrack to what she campaigned about but mostly she has been a good senator.  at this point i'm endorsing her but i doubt i will vote in november unless there is an important local issue on the ballot.  if the republicans end out being mcain/huckabee then the dem will take NY by a landslide.

i think that 20 mil  number is the number of women "registered" to vote who don't...there are maybe more who are not registered...keep in mind there are what like 300 mil people in the US. 

sorry  - not sure why though i only hit the button once