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June 7: Vote
Today is the Primary election day in the states of California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota. Generally on this day, you’re either on the side of “I’m going to go out and vote!” (that’s me) or “My vote doesn’t really matter, why should I bother?” (plenty of people I know).
I’m not here to tell you the complex reasons behind why you should vote – a simple Google search will render better results than what I can tell you. However, I would like to share my very simplistic perspective of why I feel everyone should vote. But first, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Does my vote even count?
Simple answer is, I guess that depends on where you live in the world.
In the United States, we don’t count individual votes to select the President of the United States. No, instead we are actually voting for a group of people known as electors. They are part of the electoral college and the process used to elect the President and Vice President of the country. Each state’s number of electors is equal to the number of its U.S. Senators plus the number of its U.S. Representatives. For example, New Jersey gets 14 electoral vote. If majority of the New Jersey residents vote for Candidate A, then the state electors (14 vote) will go to Candidate A.
For details of how the Presidential election process works in the US, click here.
Therefore, I understand the stance that “my one vote won’t make a difference” and maybe you’re right in an isolated instance. However, if everyone thinks like that, then all the “could be” votes that could’ve made a difference now no longer will. So, it’s important to differentiate between your one vote making a direct impact verses the indirect impact. After all, impact is impact.
Another big reason I feel it’s important to vote is because whether you like it or not, someone between Candidate A or B will become the new leader. In such a case, wouldn’t you want to have your say? It’s not as if not voting would somehow result in a 3rd candidate getting selected, so why not pick from the options you are given? Especially because if you don’t vote to have your voice heard, then what right do you have to complain about the outcomes of anything related to said election?
My reasons are pretty elementary and that’s because I feel the reasons behind why one should vote is elementary.
So have your voice heard, go vote this election!
What I Think I Say 