Would you rather live in a society without elections?

I can say with all honesty that such a society would frighten me beyond reason, and that this proposed system would lead to chaos in American democracy. Elections, because of what they represent, are as American as apple pie and Norman Rockwell paintings. It seems to me that modern voting embodies more than just support for candidate A or candidate B; physically stepping into the voting booth reassures common citizens that they have some right to think and act as individuals, and therefore that they have a measure of control within an ever-expanding world. The best example I can provide of this phenomenon is the recent election of Republican candidate Scott Brown to the Massachusetts Senate seat in Congress. Being a native of the state (and, not surprisingly, a Democrat), the race for the Senate seat that took place this year impacted me particularly. (I still cannot stop shaking my head at Martha Coakley). Yet it also alerted the rest of the country to the rising popularity of dissent in American politics. For years, I listened to my father (a Republican, NASCAR-loving NRA member) grumble at the polls because his vote "didn't matter" amongst an overwhelming sea of tree-huggers, pro-choicers, and gay rights activists. Massachusetts is arguably, after all, the most liberal state in the union. However, his vote, along with thousands more, was among the majority that elected a Republican candidate to represent Massachusetts in the US Senate. This evolution of political thought within my own state is fascinating in itself, and while it may not coincide with my personal ideology, it is a comfort for all Americans to recognize that we have an accessible conduit through which change can be ushered. The election process is not alway foolproof or fair, yet it is still the most efficient way for American voices to be publicized and put to use.