Every Vote Counts

Every Vote Counts

Oftentimes during an election, particularly the presidential election you will hear these common phrases: “There is no point in voting this year because my vote doesn’t matter”;“I won’t be voting this year because I’m too busy and it’s always so crowded when I go to vote”;or the casual “I don’t care about it”. Whether the election is state, local, or nationwide every single vote counts.

Voting is important because it lets us exercise our right to choose. Since we have the freedom to choose we need to exercise that ability and use it to our advantage. If we don’t take advantage of the rights we have then the battles of our forefathers would have been in vain. Women, youth, and under represented groups fought hard for the right to vote. This nation’s government was designed for citizen participation therefore not using our right to include our opinion in the nation’s status is like an insult to the forefathers. Besides, voting is one of the vast ways our opinions can be expressed, and if it is used wisely it can benefit our country in ways other things cannot.
Voting is important because the president elect determines the future of our country. Since the next leader of our country makes the decisions it is important to choose the right candidate. It is he who represents the country as a whole. The goals of the country are represented and put into action by the president, therefore it is extremely important to weigh the determining qualities of the candidates and make a decision based off of their opinions on issues, not the biased views of their T.V. commercials or the gossip from an unreliable source. Similarly to the famous Shakespearean play, Macbeth, if there is a wrong leader the wrong things can happen. Although, it may not be near as extreme as the plagues put upon the country until a new leader took the throne, it is still extremely important to choose the right leader.

Imagine a world where there were no other opinions and we all thought the same. Imagine a place where there were no contentions among people, the economy, and everything around was perfect. It sounds like heaven, right? I thought so. However, I would like to point out that there weren’t other opinions or imperfections, for that matter, then there would be no need to have elections or an opinion at all because all of us would be brain washed robots. Our opinion is our inalienable right and since we have the freedom to express it it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Since the Electoral College System is a major influence on the next president-elect some people believe that their votes are simply being tossed out the window and into the hands of Congress to make the decision, therefore making their vote a waste. However, that statement is only true if they don’t vote because most states have a ‘winner-take-all’ system, therefore, making each vote important. Each vote can make a difference. It has also been argued that the Electoral College is “inherently un-democratic”, and gives certain states unbalanced clouts for the President and Vice President. That may be true, however, the electoral college is an important and unique feature of the federal system, and it protects the rights of the smaller states.

Choosing not to vote because you don’t care, think the lines are too crowded or other reasons in my opinion is not a legitimate reason to not vote. It’s like saying that you are more qualified for the candidates’ position and you don’t care for the status of the country. Dr. Samuel Johnson stated, “Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every man has a right to knock him down for it.” With that said, voting is a tool in expressing our disagreement or support of a candidate. His outlook will not only affect the country’s opinion, but the world as well, especially once he is elected.

Harry Browne, a presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party declared “We may not always recognize it, but government plays a bigger role in our lives than any other single person or institution. We spend nearly half of our lives working to pay for it. Children spend more time in government schools than they do with their parents. Birth, death, marriage, every area of our lives feels the influence of government. “Since the government has such an influence in our lives we ought to choose the right leaders so that the ‘time’ spent is well spent.

Our privilege to express our opinion freely is something that most places don’t have. It is an inalienable power which we hold and use from day to day from the simple things like: what clothes you wear to how you use your time. Let’s use our opinion to make a difference in our nation. Every vote counts!