So, You Think You Can Vote?

The other day, I saw a vehicle with lettering on the back window saying, “Vote for so-and-so from Abbotsford on So You Think You Can Dance.” I've also seen a similar sign hanging on a telephone pole (except it said something like, “Vote so-and-so SYCYC Dance”—it took me seeing it a dozen times before I finally clued in as to what that stood for). Maybe it's just a concept I don't understand because I don't watch any of those televised singing/dancing/talent shows, but would someone seriously be enticed to vote for someone just because they saw a sign somewhere telling them to? Or because they happened to be from the same city?

If I were voting on any of those shows, I would vote for people based on their actual talent, not where they reside. Their physical proximity to me does not affect their ability in any way. Actually, that's also how I view the results of events like the Olympics. Why should I care that a specific person won an award just because they reside in the same country as me? I couldn't care less who won what award, unless they happened to be someone I knew personally. But then again, I really don't even care about the Olympics period, not even when they were being hosted locally last year, so maybe that might not be the best example.

And thinking about signs about voting, it's the same deal with elections for government positions. Whenever an election is coming around, you'd think the rule was, “He who has the most signs wins.” I would never vote for someone just because he had 10 signs out on the same corner. I realize getting your name out there is important. However, if someone didn't know anything about the candidates and votes for someone simply because they recognized the name from all those signs, that person has no business voting.