Anarchism

The thing foe me was that I felt by voting I was giving legitimacy to the system and in some way (even minimally) playing a part in its oppression and abuse. I want people to see that voting is not the only way to achieve change, and that "direct action gets the goods."

On top of this I feel by voting "left" no matter what just as harm reduction, you are teaching politicians that that is enough to earn a vote. That as long as they maintain being marginally better than the opposition, it doesnt matter what they do. They can depend on your vote cause at least they arent the other guy. I view voting left no matter what is exactly what has gotten us into this mess, not as a way to fight it. I do not view voting as harm reduction, as voting has not stopped fascism in the past, and it will not now.

I vote on individual issues, and if there is a good enough candidate I will vote in local elections. Otherwise I do not vote.

At what point will anarchists stop bikeshedding about voting?

Voting takes up a relatively small amount of time. In my case, just filling in a mail in ballot, so I didn't even need to drive somewhere. If that's the extent of the required participation every few years, I would do so even if the tangible benefits were marginal, since the costs are so trivial.

Some anarchists historically have refused to participate in voting to deny legitimizing the state. This is an ideologically pure and legitimate stance, but it's difficult for me to see what that achieves practically other than the ideological purity.

If I try to look as objectively and dispassionately as possible at the practical outcomes of democrat and republican governments in the US, the democrat governments, while still corporate captured and moving further to the right, does pass some legislation that has, at times, reduced suffering for some of the most in need. It is still completely insufficient, but for many, I'm sure it made life more bearable.

Climate legislation has a similar result, with Republicans blocking all bills that could help, where as democrats were able to get some passed that, while insufficient due to still having to appease capitalist interests, are definitely my better than nothing. Seeing as we have so little time to impact climate change, I will generally prioritize practical outcomes more than ideological purity, because ultimately if global warming gets bad enough, there will be very little humanity left to be ideologically pure at all.

There are many other parts of society that would also very quickly suffer under this republican candidate and underlings in particular, such as trans people, immigrants, and women.

That leaves the genocide, which both parties will continue to participate in, and which makes voting for either party ideologically disgusting. Again, I personally try to detach my own feelings on this and to consider the practical outcome, which is that regardless of my choice to vote or not, that suffering and inhumanity will most likely continue, and my lack of a vote does nothing to reduce it. With that in mind, I only consider the things my vote potentially could change, which so far are still worth the 5 minutes I personally have to commit.

Ultimately I know that my vote only delays a fascist state, but it also makes it more survivable for some along the way, and that's not to be dismissed, even if the same group making it more survivable for some is simultaneously enabling genocide.

There's a lot of variables, and it's deeply unjust that I'm forced into a position to have to weigh these variables between greedy power hungry cretins who enable so much suffering, but that's what I'm left with.

But as for your question of where the line in the sand is for me to consider it not worth voting; I would consider it pointless if either party would result in near enough the same amount of suffering overall, and the only difference is the flavor (a random example, choosing between a Soviet Union style authoritarian state vs a mafia state like modern Russia)

Or,

The election is so thoroughly corrupt that my votes, if counted at all, will consistently be rendered useless by an absurd number of fake votes to where the whole thing is a charade (modern Russia).

But that's just my two cents :)

I have been raised with the phrase that voting a duty because a democratic system is not for granted and the rights to vote have been fought for. I live in the Netherlands and I don't say it is perfect (far from) but we have a democratic, functional political system. It is moving to the right quickly but as long as I can vote I will. There is no anarchistic party of course but I at least use my vote to vote for left.

Are you saying not using a democratic system is going to avoid facism???

Voting as valid political action: Valid as in correct, no. Valid as in relevant, yes.

~~Societal~~National (personal: GER) progress towards fascism: ~20-30% far-right extremism (state-labelled) since 2015 with regional disparities. Regional liberal-antifascist campaigns have been moderately successful, but the response to CoViD impacted far-right radicalism, media campaigns against migration are constant and begin to bear fruits. East German antifascists begin to see local lost causes for campaigning.

that voting ultimately doesn't work

Function of voting systems is periodic ruler succession, the alternative without any disruption is inheritance. Anarchists don't want any rulers, inherited or voted, but anarchists aren't too commonly a critical population in a society.

that voting ~~ultimately~~ doesn't work

Functionality of voting systems is broken when trust in personal choice, equality and secrecy in voting of rulers is broken. Ruler sucession voting systems don't ensure ruler behaviour.

Use all the tools at your disposal. Vote for the better of the candidates, and then also take direct action or whatever.

It’s stupid to “protest the system” by rejecting the method it does give you to steer it. If it’s ineffectual, you’ve lost nothing. If you happen to be one of 10,000 that markedly changes the outcome away from an outwardly evil candidate, then you have made a significant positive difference.