via z.about.com

That's the way it was in 2004, anyway. Let's get our priority straight on November 4, ya'll!

Not to say we don't love AI like crazy . . . but c'mon, isn't voting for the next Prez just a tad more important?

It was head Scrub-ber, Zach Braff, who got CGG thinking about this the other night. When American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee walked by him on a red carpet, he quipped to a camera that she received more votes than the presidential candidates did in the last election. OMG, could this possibly be true?!

So we did our homework -- and, according to gather.com, American Idol's 2005 season with Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee produced more than 500 million votes. By comparison, in the 2004 presidential election, when Dubya was fighting for his second term, the ballots numbered far less: 121.1 million votes. Bush received 62 million of the popular vote, and Kerry received 59 million. Even more shameful: that's 20 percentage points below the votes that were cast in that year's Afghanistan presidential election, which had a 96 percent turnout.

Okay, we have to point out that AI allows its voters to exercise his or her right as many times as he or she wants -- and many do. To that end, it's estimated that 63.4 million people actually voted for Taylor and Katharine. So it's not quite fair to compare the elections. If people could vote more than once in the Presidential elections, believe us, there would be a lot more votes! And ultimately, more people uniquely voted in Presidential election than for American Idol. Yay America!

But the fact remains: How is it that so many of us are seemingly more passionate about crowning the next pop star than the next leader of America? Granted, with American Idol you don't have to deal with paper ballots, driving out of your way to vote, standing in line, etc., but at least it's FREE, whereas when you text your vote to AI, standard text message fees apply.

Well, this election certainly has its rock star candidates who are doing much to capture the attention and passion of America's young people. Will this be the year that the Prez election finally out-does AI?

Share your thoughts below, along with ways you can think of that can motivate people to vote for our next President and Commander in Chief!

Also, not 18 years old yet but still want to get involved?? There are still a ton of ways your voice can be heard about the election.