Arnold Oliver, professor emeritus of political science at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, and a member of Veterans For Peace, uses a first-person opinion essay published Oct. 28, 2026, to address people who do not vote. He says he once abstained and now considers that choice mistaken.
Oliver cites figures from the 2024 national elections: 10% of registered voters did not turn out, a group he describes as 18 million people, in a contest decided by about 2 million votes. Those numbers are presented as his argument for participating; they were not independently verified in the essay.
He contends that voting carries a responsibility to people who fought for suffrage, including women and minorities who were long excluded, and he says local offices and school, park, health and safety levies can have direct effects on daily life. Oliver also argues that voters should research candidates rather than treating all politicians as identical, while allowing that some are dishonest.
The essay acknowledges obstacles including registration requirements, polling lines, large campaign spending and coverage focused on tactics rather than issues. It closes by urging readers to take part despite those problems. The piece is an opinion column, not a report of new events, and its historical and political characterizations are the author’s views.