Why do you vote?

With the election coming up on Tuesday, I've been ruminating on why people vote. I've seen all sorts of motivations for why an individual votes, and why they vote for whomever they do. First, why people vote:

1. They "hate the other guy".
2. CNN told them to.
3. Exercising their rights.
4. Actually like a candidate. (rare!)
5. So they can complain for 2/4/6 years.
6. So they can wear the "I voted Today!" sticker.

Now, how people choose who to vote for:

1. Vote for the likely winner. (This way, you're on the winning team!)
2. Vote for the likely looser. (This way you can complain for the next 4 years, and say, "I didn't vote for him" anytime anyone brings up why he's a lousy president/governator/congress-weasel.)
3. Vote for the person who provides the best opposition to the person you don't want to win.
4. Vote for the party candidate. (Even though you don't like him/her, they represent the party you chose, and the party represents you. [They said they do!])
5. Vote for the candidate you feel will best create just laws, and enforce them fairly.

I'll just stop right there. You can see most of those options are pretty petty or reek of gamesmanship. I also think you can guess which option I think is the best choice.
The system is not designed to only allow you to vote for two people. WE have made it that way in our minds. If you think that none of the candidates on your ballot will be good officers of government, go to the polling place and write-in someone who will be.
As for all this talk of "throwing your vote away" if you don't vote for one of the two major candidates, let me explain things this way: Should I not vote for the person I think will be best for the job if they don't have the funding, or the news coverage, or the name recognition of the other candidates? NO! MY job, as an informed voter, is to vote for the best candidate, not settle for an "acceptable" candidate, or even "not the worst" candidate. Let everyone else vote for who they will; you possess the freedom to vote for who you want.

I'll finish by citing one of the passages that, for me, best defines good government. (Also, I love formal 19th century-speak.)

We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.

We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.

We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.

We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.

We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.

We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.

We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.

We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.

We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.
(Doc. and Cov., Section 134.)