One vote won't make a difference

[Terry in Austin]

"Nah, I'm not going to vote. One vote isn't going to make any difference."

How many times have you heard somebody give this excuse?

I heard it again in the booth behind me at lunch today, and I beat my head trying to think of a constructive way to butt in and let him know that he really should vote. I gave up, but not before a number of wish-I-could-say items crossed my mind:

• It's the same for millions of others, but they still vote -- what makes you so special?
  
• Where did you ever get the idea that one vote was supposed to make a difference?
  
• Hey, in a trillion dollar budget, your taxes don't make any difference, either
  
• Your vote doesn't get you value? Ooh, wait till Consumer's Union finds out!
  
• In a democracy, it's just something that the grownups do
  
• When you're in a crowd and it starts to thin out, do you thin out, too?

Does anybody else have a real problem when they hear this? Have you found an effective way of dealing with it?

:banghead:

[thunder rising]

1. I've lived in S FL since 1998 ... I didn't vote in 2000 ... my vote (and a few others) cost 4K GI's

their life.

[demo dutch]

9. If people in Florida understand how much their vote needs to count in order to

the electoral vote they would all vote! Because the electoral map favors red state voters in the middle of the country
See this article from the NY times

snip--
While each of Florida’s 27 electoral delegates represents almost 480,000 eligible voters, each of the three delegates from Wyoming represents only 135,000 eligible voters. That makes a voter casting a presidential ballot in Wyoming three and a half times more influential than a voter in Florida.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/opinion/02cowan.html?hp

[PermanentRevolution]

14. Mine, too

I still feel guilty about it. That election (and the subsequent consequences) sparked my political awakening and the realization that inaction can have just as grave consequences as action.

[Two Sheds]

15. I admire you for admitting that you didn't vote in 2000

It would be too easy to say otherwise.

[panader0]

2. I tell people who do not intend to vote

that I don't want to hear a single word about politics from them in the future. You can't complain or crow if you don't take part.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I guess you could fall back to the idea of how many people have died to ensure the right for him to

vote.
You could ask him if he ever had any relatives that were in the military. Their job is to defend that right.

[Lex1775]

4. I can't do the research right at the moment...

But one of England's kings was beheaded by just one vote (I think it was one of the James). Hitler was also elected head of the Nazi party by just one vote. There are other examples... wish I could remember more.

[MarkInCA]

7. Friggin Ann Landers

http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/onevote.asp

[Lex1775]

10. Oh no... the local public broadcasting station has been showing these as fact!!

That's why they jogged my memory!!!

[MarkInCA]

5. I won't discuss politics with people who don't vote

In my eyes, the person who doesn't vote for this reason is ignorant and should keep their mouth shut. Don't bitch unless you have done something to change things.

At the same time, I respect their right to not vote, I just lose all respect for them.

Edit: correcting my spelling mistake...so sorry it bothered you so....

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. You can't "loose" respect.

[demo dutch]

6. How much is your vote worth??

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7726938&mesg_id=7726938

[goletian]

8. one vote is all there is. the sum of all votes is the sum of instances of "one vote."

one vote is all that has ever mattered.

[demo dutch]

11. Not really check out this article in the New Times, some votes count more than others

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/opinion/02cowan.html?hp



snip--
While each of Florida’s 27 electoral delegates represents almost 480,000 eligible voters, each of the three delegates from Wyoming represents only 135,000 eligible voters. That makes a voter casting a presidential ballot in Wyoming three and a half times more influential than a voter in Florida.

--

This is why we need to get rid of the electoral college system. It favors red states in the center of the country.

[goletian]

23. those more influential votes are still "one vote"s. ;)

[MarkInCA]

12. Well put, I'll remember that. n/t

[JJ]

16. One vote made GWBush pResindent

I believe it was Sandra Day O'Conner

[grantcart]

17. don't tell that to anyone in WA state - election decided by 10 votes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_gubernatorial_election,_2004

[mirror wall]

18. I like this motivational tool:

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=zlnEGd63RQucMDNjDvxRITk0MTg4MTU-&referred_by=15472-Mk2.4Ex

Sign your friends up for it!

[damntexdem]

19. One vote always makes a difference -- it's all they let anyone have.

Well, except for Diebold.

[bkcc]

20. I recently spoke with some friends who said the same.

I resisted the urge to scream at them and told them the following:

"If you don't want to vote for president because you think your vote doesn't count, I think you're wrong, but that's your right. However, it's incredibly short-sighted to think that the office of president is the only thing you're voting for on Nov. 4th.

"By not going to the polls on Election Day, you miss the opportunity to vote for all your local, state, and federal officials. You might think that your vote "doesn't count" because of the electoral college, but every other office you'll cast a ballot for that day is just as important."

My friends were dumbfounded. They honestly had never before considered this. I think I actually got through to them. And, while I would love for them to cast votes for president as well, I think it's better that they vote for some of the elected officials on their ballots than nothing at all.

[Terry in Austin]

24. Good one!

"By not going to the polls on Election Day, you miss the opportunity to vote for all your local, state, and federal officials. You might think that your vote "doesn't count" because of the electoral college, but every other office you'll cast a ballot for that day is just as important."

I'll definitely have to remember that one next time I hear the dreaded OVWMAD.

:toast:

[bkcc]

25. Thanks.

I have my moments. Not many, but I do have them.
:)

[Bubbha Jo]

21. My one vote makes a difference to me ; ) n/t

[Bake]

22. I want and intend to be part of history.

And that makes a big difference to ME!!

Bake