Your Vote Matters

Whenever an election result turns on a handful of votes or ends in a tie, stories abound about the importance of the individual ballot and the regret that those who failed to vote must feel if their candidate barely came up short. While it is true that only a few votes could have made the difference in the outcome, the act of voting carries its own importance regardless of the outcome. Yes, even if the candidate you had selected loses the election, your vote maintains value and should not be considered wasted. 

When votes are counted one candidate usually wins and the other candidates lose because we cast most votes for individual seats. Those who ultimately made up the most votes for one candidate normally feel that their vote counted and was worth the effort because “they” won. For those who opted for a different candidate, whose tally simply came up short, they tend to feel like their vote didn’t matter, that they didn’t have a voice. 

But their vote and their voice matters. The act of voting represents a commitment to civic duty that helps citizens and their represented politicians understand how much of their community cares about who will represent them and the issues that are important to them. Whether the election ends up a nail biter or a landslide, winners recognize the size of the group who elected them but also see that others had hoped for another. 

Imagine for a moment that 100% of the people who voted for a losing candidate stayed home and never cast the ballot. The election would appear to be a landslide and the winner would likely assume that literally everyone who cared agreed that the candidate was the right choice. That candidate would likely, and probably rightly, try to govern by assuming that his constituents would all agree with his choices.

As a parent I often have to make a single choice, like where to go on vacation, that may not satisfy everyone’s wants. But the more I know about everyone’s choices and who really cares, the more likely I can make a better choice. If a family member remains silent, I can’t be responsible for any subsequent discontent that person feels. But likewise, just because your candidate lost and the winner espouses beliefs and policies with which you disagree, doesn’t mean your vote was wasted. In fact, whether I opt for a vacation plan that my children hoped for or not, doesn’t change the fact that I am their father. 

Your vote lets others know that other options remain viable and possible. Collectively a minority can understand whether their position is growing or waning. Even in this day and age, many politicians, if not most, will meaningfully listen to well thought out proposals by those who opposed their candidacy. And in defeat, a candidate can remain inspired because she can see that others supported her plans. 

It’s nice to end up with the winners, but more important to vote.