My Vote Doesn't Count!

[shmoogrrrl]

I have a good friend who is politically polar opposite of me. We both live in VA and joke that it doesn't matter if we vote for President or any other Statewide office because we are going to cancel each other out. She's even suggested that we not bother voting one year because we know that it will not affect anything. However, I just can't do it. I feel that I have the right to vote and I need to exercise it, even when I know that technically won't matter too much. She was a little grumpy that she had to go vote after all to cancel me out.

I think that your vote DOES count, even in a state that always goes one way or the other. If nothing else, it pumps up those 'Popular Votes' totals, and you know how people like to make a big deal out of those.

As far as being in a swing state goes, this is the first year that there is even a chance that VA could swing blue so it is more important than ever for people to vote here, regardless of whether you want it to turn blue or not. I can do without the political commercials, though. On my cable system, I get them from VA, MD and DC and I have to work to keep up with which ones actually matter to me and which ones don't apply. Especially with the local races. We even had political signs in VA for the last Governor's race in MD that were placed on major commuting roads. I used to joke with my husband that we should get a Michael Steele bumper sticker for our car just because we do find ourselves driving in MD fairly often. We didn't though.

 

[MrsPete]

Because we are a united federation of largely independent states, and a popular vote election would mean that California and New York/New Jersey — with their large populations — would determine the outcome of every single election. No one would campaign anywhere else. No one would draft legislation or policy that helped any other states. The other states would simply cease to exist in the minds of politicians. There would be the East Coast, the West Coast, and nothing else. This would lead to a regionally balkanized political landscape in which the unrepresented people in "flyover country" would eventually revolt. The popular vote argument is a recipe for civil war. Our entire governmental structure is purposefully intended to prevent certain regions of the country from becoming all-powerful because the framers of the Constitution, in their astonishing brilliance and foresight, knew that if that happened, the country would disintegrate.

I've tried, but I simply do not understand this. I understand that more people live in CA, NY, etc., but if EVERY INDIVIDUAL gets one vote, then EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S vote counts equally. 1 person = 1 vote. Where's the argument? If California voters end up placing more votes, that' fair -- they have more people than my state.

But as it is now, CA already has more "votes" than other states -- again, totally fair 'cause they have more people.

But right now, if I decide to vote Republican . . . but the majority of my state goes Democratic, it's as if my vote is thrown into the garbage. It seems much more fair to count 'em all up, and combine them all together.

Campaigning IN my state isn't going to convince me to vote one way or the other -- shaking my hand personally won't make me more likely to vote a certain direction. I watched the interviews with Rev. Warren on TV, and I probably saw/heard more than I would have in a crowded lecture hall. I haven't decided yet for whom I'll vote, but a personal visit really wouldn't sway me.

 

[dcentity2000]

This is the advantage of having three major parties in the UK. If your party can't get in in your constituency, you swap it around with another voter whose party is fighting in your constituency elsewhere in the country where your party is fighting to win.

Hope that makes sense!



Rich::

 

[TLSnell1981]

Your vote counts. And just because it's pretty likely that your state will vote for Obama, what if all the Obama voters thought the same thing?

And that's coming from a Republican living in New York state. Although I'm pretty sure Hillary is going to win here

Are you calling for write in votes for Hillary?

 

[loco4dis]

I've tried, but I simply do not understand this. I understand that more people live in CA, NY, etc., but if EVERY INDIVIDUAL gets one vote, then EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S vote counts equally. 1 person = 1 vote. Where's the argument? If California voters end up placing more votes, that' fair -- they have more people than my state.

But as it is now, CA already has more "votes" than other states -- again, totally fair 'cause they have more people.

But right now, if I decide to vote Republican . . . but the majority of my state goes Democratic, it's as if my vote is thrown into the garbage. It seems much more fair to count 'em all up, and combine them all together.

Campaigning IN my state isn't going to convince me to vote one way or the other -- shaking my hand personally won't make me more likely to vote a certain direction. I watched the interviews with Rev. Warren on TV, and I probably saw/heard more than I would have in a crowded lecture hall. I haven't decided yet for whom I'll vote, but a personal visit really wouldn't sway me.

The top 10 most populous states contain more than 50% of the total US population. Whoever wins those states wins the election in a popular vote. A popular vote contest will make certain states important to politicians, and the others (40 more more states) will be completely ignored. Those voters will require no consideration whatsoever from candidates. They will simply cease to exist. They will also cease to exist at the Washington governance level. Why bother concerning yourself with the needs of Vermont or S. Dakota or Delaware when those voters can't help you win an election? With the electoral college, candidates have to criss-cross the nation, talk directly to voters in a multitude of states. In fact, Sen. Obama's campaign is running a "50-state Strategy" of trying to cobble together enough electoral votes from smaller states that he won't have to worry about Florida and Ohio. In a popular vote contest, Florida and Ohio are the only states he would have campaigned in because he's looking comfortable with California and New York. It's about getting the biggest bang for your campaign buck. In a popular vote contest, you go where the voters are. You certainly don't waste your time or money in Maine or Idaho or W. Virginia or New Mexico or Kansas or Iowa or Oregon.

Or look at it this way: If a candidate gets half the votes in Massachusetts, Kansas, Iowa and Tennessee (presuming every state citizen votes) he or she gets about 9 million votes, but 36 electoral votes. If he/she gets half the votes in New York, he/she would get about 10 million popular votes, but only 29 electoral votes. The electoral college maintains regional power sharing at the national level and forces Washington politicians to pay attention to the smaller states.

 

[disney1990]

I like these maps even better. Kind of refutes the whole "Bush stole the election" garbage you hear from the radical left...

2004 - Bush v Kerry

2000 - Bush v Gore

The actual voting figures speak much better than your maps. Election 2002

Gore
50,996,116 48 % 21 266
Bush
50,456,169 48 % 30 271



Election 2004

Bush
286
Electoral Votes
VOTE % 51%
VOTE 62,040,606

Kerry
252
Electoral Votes
48% VOTE %
59,028,109

 

[loco4dis]

The actual voting figures speak much better than your maps. Election 2002

Gore
50,996,116 48 % 21 266
Bush
50,456,169 48 % 30 271



Election 2004

Bush
286
Electoral Votes
VOTE % 51%
VOTE 62,040,606

Kerry
252
Electoral Votes
48% VOTE %
59,028,109

Nah, I like the maps better. They're all pretty and red. I like red, with just a little sprinkling of blue. It's pretty.

 

[disney1990]

Nah, I like the maps better. They're all pretty and red. I like red, with just a little sprinkling of blue. It's pretty.

Sorry, but you won't like the maps after the next election.

 

[DawnCt1]

My town usually votes Republican but not my state. However, I will get my yard sign, we will get out to vote and assume the role of Don Quixote, tilting at windmills.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I'm happy to live in a blue state for social reasons, although I'm fiscally conservative. I am totally undecided in this election, because everyday, I find more reasons to NOT like both candidates. But, my vote doesn't matter anyway, right?


wardfamily1- where do those maps come from? I was trying to google to see the county breakdowns in my state but couldn't find anything like that.

 

[LaraK]

I'm happy to live in a blue state for social reasons, although I'm fiscally conservative. I am totally undecided in this election, because everyday, I find more reasons to NOT like both candidates. But, my vote doesn't matter anyway, right?


wardfamily1- where do those maps come from? I was trying to google to see the county breakdowns in my state but couldn't find anything like that.

I'll save you the trouble...PG, Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore City always are blue. Balitmore Co swings back and forth. The rest are red.

 

[disney4us2002]

I'll save you the trouble...PG, Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore City always are blue. Balitmore Co swings back and forth. The rest are red.

Amen!

Sorry, but you won't like the maps after the next election.

Thanks for the laugh!

 

[DizneyPhile]

In my opinion, people of voting age who do not vote should be fined big $$$$.
In some countries, you lose social benefits if you simply chose not to vote.

 

[Microcell]

Oh man! I forgot that my county is like the only one in the state that went blue in 00 and 04!

You get all the big wigs coming through in a swing state, which is interesting. Saw GWB in 04 at the high school in my town of 85,000!

Obama has been here too...

The ads are cumbersome, but I have DVR, and am not undecided. The phone in October should be ringing off the hook. I use my home phone for work during the day so it is not as bad for me as I bet it will be for others.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Looking at the map, my state is heavily red. However, the concentration of the population in the few blue counties means that my state always ends up blue.

I don't care for either candidate and I'm writing in Stephen Colbert!

(Don't flame me-- my state is going blue regardless of my vote. I dislike the electoral college.)

 

[Charade]

It is very nice. Except for the onslaught of commercials.

You ain't kidding!!!