Does your vote matter?

[AlphaSigOU]

Here's a series of articles that appeared in the June 14, 2004 edition of Business Week. Not surprisingly, our electoral system is slowly slipping into meaninglessness.

The online page for the articles:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...870424vote.htm

(The above link may only be good for a week or so before being moved to the subscriber-only archive section.)

[tinydancer]

I like to think that my vote matters. After all, if ya don't vote, ya can't bitch

I am beginning to think that the Electoral College has outlived its usefulness, but I will be the first to admit that I don't know all the rationale etc. behind it.

[CSUSigEp]

I figure that if I forget to vote, theres someone on the other side forgetting to vote too...

[Kevin]

The larger the election, the less your vote counts. I make it a point to vote in municipal and judicial elections -- as well as state. I have no illusion that Oklahoma would ever choose anything other than a Republican president, so I don't really even worry about that. Especially this year with Kerry.

[Optimist Prime]

It depends on which state you live. California matters a lot. Poor little Rhode Island doesn't matter at all.

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
It depends on which state you live. California matters a lot. Poor little Rhode Island doesn't matter at all.

Basically...I think it also matters on what election. Example: NJ's primaries were yesteday. I'm a registered Democrat, and could have voted. But didn't. Why? It doesn't really matter, because even if every single person in NJ voted for that last place guy (kuranih or something, I can't spell ), Kerry would still win the democrative nomination.
Second, my county has been a democratic county FOREVER. Seriously. Its a huge joke that there is a republican in hudson county. There is no reason for me to vote in my primary because I KNOW the democratic slate that the Hudson County Democratic Organization wants will win. I actually am kind of scared of my county...kinda like the mob...we have political bosses and everything ::shudders::

[honeychile]

I have been interested in politics since I was old enough to lisp, "Please vote for my Daddy." I've been on many an election board, seen votes cancelled because of incorrect voting, and seen elections won by 2-3 votes.

Whether or not my vote really "counts", I have not missed an election yet, and I don't plan to do so unless I'm on my deathbed.

[Cluey]

My vote counts and counts and counts... I'm a Floridian

I was thinking of switching my voter registration from Florida to Texas, just to make it easier on me. I thought about that for about 2 seconds and then I realized my vote would matter so much more in Florida than Texas, as it is lining up to be another hotly contested election. Forget what's easiest for me!

[adpialumcsuc]

After 10 years of trying to convince my family that I don't need to vote because it doesn't matter they finally convinced me to register to vote. I am not into politics at all but decided that I needed to do this so (like someone else said) I can bitch.
Oh yeah and by the way I have never ever ever once been summoned to jury duty and guess what, as soon as I registered to vote I ws summoned. Now I know why I didn't register in the past. ***Don't say that they also pull from DMV records, because I have had my license since I was 16.***

[bcdphie]

In regards to the upcoming Canadian Federal election my vote will matter for once. Because the majority of Canada's population lives in Ontario and Quebec, the outcome of the election has really been decided by the times the polls close in BC; this time, however, political analysts are saying that British Columbians will lay down the deciding factor in who wins the election. Normally our votes really sway anything, so it is pretty neat to that Canada's political fate could lie in the hands of British Columbians - the only things is that people in BC traditional vote Conservative, because they always have favoured the West more than the Liberals.

[ADPiAkron]

Originally posted by honeychile
I have been interested in politics since I was old enough to lisp, "Please vote for my Daddy." I've been on many an election board, seen votes cancelled because of incorrect voting, and seen elections won by 2-3 votes.

Ditto to that! Except it wasn't my dad-- it was my uncle!! I love politics and have been involved in them pretty much since birth!! Involvment in politics is high in my family! I work for the government...and so does my dad, my sister, and my aunt...and in the past so did my other two sisters and my two cousins!! I also spend every election day evening at our local board of elections helping out!! Gotta love it!

Originally posted by tinydancer
I like to think that my vote matters. After all, if ya don't vote, ya can't bitch

I always vote in evvvverrrry election and I think my vote matters too!! And about the bitching-- have not stopped since the last presidential election!!

[Kevin]

Originally posted by Cluey
My vote counts and counts and counts... I'm a Floridian

I was thinking of switching my voter registration from Florida to Texas, just to make it easier on me. I thought about that for about 2 seconds and then I realized my vote would matter so much more in Florida than Texas, as it is lining up to be another hotly contested election. Forget what's easiest for me!

I think Florida should have to sit this one out. Buy everyone in the state a dunce hat.

It provided (and still does) ample entertainment though.

[LXAAlum]

Originally posted by honeychile
I have been interested in politics since I was old enough to lisp, "Please vote for my Daddy." I've been on many an election board, seen votes cancelled because of incorrect voting, and seen elections won by 2-3 votes.

Whether or not my vote really "counts", I have not missed an election yet, and I don't plan to do so unless I'm on my deathbed.

This year is my first venture into real politics and campaigning this year, versus just voting, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it thus far - working on a campaign, writing speeches, etc....

YES YOUR VOTE COUNTS. If nothing else look at it this way:

When all is said and done, anyone in a voting booth has the exact same amount of power, at that exact same moment, as the President, a Senator or Congressman, or Bill Gates for that matter. Voting is the ultimate expression of support for our system of government, for voting expresses your CHOICE for leadership, win or lose. At least make the effort.

(OK, except maybe for Chicagoans', like Daley used to say and be accused of doing: "vote early and vote often").

What I used to believe is only the "elites" get their voice heard. NOT TRUE. Somehow, I was fortunate enough to become a precinct, county, district, and state delegate for my party this year, and believe me, it's surprisingly easy to do so. All it requires is one thing, and one thing only, at least here in Colorado: that you simply show up to your party caucus. Turnout at these events is typically SO LOW that those who show up usually end up delegates or alternates. THIS IS WHERE GRASSROOTS POLITICS comes from, and I've had a ball - I never thought I would get to such a point, but, all it took, was to simply show up.

So, how did I become involved? It was easy: I was asked by a candidate for help in their campaign.