I agree with Terry, Hal, and Mike in noting that it doesn't "sound like" Twain.  To put it more bluntly, Twain quotes are not only witty, their usually true.  This one is just plain dumb.  And the degree to which SLC was engaged in politics, to the point of becoming a mugwump when he lost his faith in the Republican party for its nomination of Blaine suggests that he took the right to vote quite seriously.  

Lest anyone thinks this ersatz Twain saying has merit, there's a current candidate asking (and I paraphrase),

If you think elections don't matter, then why do billionaires spend so much money trying to influence the outcome?

--LH

Larry Howe
Professor of English & Film Studies
Department of Literature and Languages
Roosevelt University



________________________________________
From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Mike Pearson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2015 10:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: When political posters quote Mark Twain

=0A=
=0A=
Hi=2C Everyone=2C
Yay=2C or nay?  on this Mark Twain quote? =20

 Someone who likes Mark Twain
is circulating the quote (shown below)=20
on a graphic poster on Facebook. =20
      (When a quotation is part of a graphic poster=2C=20
 a text search of the web...won't notice how often it appears.)

If Mark Twain said the quote below=2C where did he say it?
Here's the quote:
"If voting made any difference=2C they wouldn't let us do it."

I imagine some innocent persons thinking=2C=20
"Oh no! If Mark Twain says our country's good faith system
                                          is already gone=2C it must be tru=
e!"

Others may think=2C "Mark Twain -- what a maroon!"
 I felt that statement is too hard-line.   =20
 It's one thing to say Congress=20
and school boards are criminals and idiots=2C which=2C I know=2C he did say=
=2C
in good humor(?)  It's another thing -- more hardline -- to discourage
people from voting.
But=2C did he say it?
Thanks!

Mike Pearson
Ellensburg=2C Wash.=20
                                                                                  =