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Does my vote really count? "Does my vote really count?" Well, it depends on how you look at it. Think about it for a minute. It's like someone who has yet to start practicing with their new-found lo-fi funk band heavily influenced by Parliament, John Cage, and the Dixie Chicks. They might say, "Another week without practice, what difference does it make?" Not much, if you don't want to get a gig anytime soon. But if you want to share your (ahem) incredible new sound with the world you might want to start practicing. Whether or not you think your vote counts depends on your perspective. From a narrow perspective: "It counts as much as it should, very little." From a broader perspective, maybe your vote counts much more than you may first think. What your vote means, therefore, lies between the following extremes: Maybe Not So Much Your vote might not count for much. This November an estimated X people will vote. How much should one vote count? Strictly (and fairly) speaking, your vote should count 1/x. Or, in other words, not much (Ok, so this is how we do algebra in the social sciences.). But, your vote, even speaking strictly, might really count a bit more. Since the electoral vote in national elections is the result of 50 state elections (plus the District of Columbia), you have to ask: "How much does my vote count in my state?" The answer depends on (a) the number of people in your state and (b) the likely closeness of the vote in your state. If you're voting in a state with a small electorate, your vote counts more than it does if you're voting in a state with a large number of voters (consider these close calls ). To add to the likely closeness of the vote, if you're voting in a "swing state " --one that is up for grabs (read: it could easily go for Bush or Gore um...like in OHIO) -- your vote (and the votes of other people like you who are wondering whether or not they should even vote) could count a lot, probably more than it should... strictly speaking. Maybe More Than You Think Your vote probably counts more than you think. This is because voting is not an isolated act. The act of voting in a particular election is similar to the act of shooting a particular basket in a basket ball game. Imagine Michael Jordan thinking, just before he takes a shot, "Oh, gee, this is only one basket, even if I make it, which of course I will, how much does one basket count?" That's a silly way to look at taking a shot in basketball. And, voting is not all that different. Those who vote don't just vote; they do other things, too. Indeed, voting is only one of the many ways people can participate in the life of their nation. Moreover, people who vote usually have engaged in many of these other forms of political participation before they vote. So, if you vote - and perhaps, even if you only think about voting - you are more likely to engage in lots of other forms of political participation. In this way, you magnify or leverage your vote, thereby having much more political influence...more, even, than you deserve... strictly speaking.
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