People Need To Stop Believing Their Vote Won't Count | The Odyssey Online
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Politics and Activism

People Need To Stop Believing Their Vote Won't Count

Your voice matters.

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People Need To Stop Believing Their Vote Won't Count
Huffington Post

This coming November, the American people will make their decision on who they want as their next Commander in Chief. In what can be considered one of the most intense and important elections of all time, the right to vote cannot be stressed enough. Whether you are Team Bernie, Team Hillary or ... Team Trump, every single one of you (above the age of 18 and a legal citizen) have the constitutional right to get out and vote. However, most Americans will not exercise this right primarily due to the fact that they believe their vote will not have any impact.

In the 2012 election, 60 percent of Americans came out to vote, while 40 percent of those stayed home based off pure laziness and the belief that their vote had no influence. That are about 93 million eligible voters who did not turn out to the polls.


Although it is ultimately up to delegates, superdelegates and the electoral college that make the decision who becomes President, it is up to the voters to get out and ensure their favorite candidate wins their state. For example, in this primary election, we have seen results in some states that could ultimately be considered a tie. In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton came up victorious in both Iowa and Missouri by extremely small percentages. In Iowa, only 15.7 percent of eligible voters turned out while 34.8 percent showed up in Missouri. If we see results similar to this in the upcoming general election, then that candidate will take home all of the electoral votes and come closer to winning the election.

For example, who could forget the results of the 2000 election between Bush and Gore? For those of you who don't remember, Bush won the election after taking Flordia by only 537 votes and about half of those able to vote turned out in the sunshine state.

Clearly, if those turnout numbers in both states had been higher, the history we know today could have been rewritten.

Now, I am sure that most of you are aware of the favoritism of Hillary Clinton with the DNC, especially with Sanders recent disownment of the DNC chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Sanders has come out and stated that the DNC has treated him unfairly and have been rigging the election so Clinton can lock up the nomination. Take the Wyoming caucus for example, Sanders won by a 10% margin, but walked away with an equal amount of delegates as Clinton. Here, the American people are furious with this injustice, but the question remains - are those who are upset actually going out to vote?

In a recent gallup poll, it showed that Sanders was more highly favored amongst voters than Clinton. This could be due to the fact that Sanders has attracted thousands of millennials with his anti-establishment rhetoric and promise of a 'yuge' revolution. But looking at the popular vote of the two democratic candidates, it shows that Clinton currently holds a lead over Sanders by about 3 million voters. Here, the issue isn't who is more liked and disliked, it's who is actually going out and voting for their favorite rather than sitting behind a computer screen and just assuming the outcome will fall in their favor.

Finally, another important aspect for those who decide they don't matter could come from their very own bragging rights and the constant finger-pointing you see on Facebook everyday.

At this point in the 2016 race, it is almost inevitable that we will see a Clinton vs. Trump showdown (Sorry Bernie supporters). Past elections have shown how diverse the American people can be with whom they support. And, being that a Clinton and Trump race are two of the most disliked candidates in history, the American people will never be more polarized in choosing a President.


Nonetheless, the outcome of this year's election will cause fear for some and relief for others. Whoever is the winner this November, Americans will not hold back on their expressions with the outcome. So, to those who decide to abandon all hope in this election and are disappointed, do not point your finger at those who decided to use their right to vote against something you believe in because there's a few million people out there who are doing the exact same thing as you.

And for those of you who decide to go out and vote and find yourself throwing things at the television or computer screens after the results come in, go for it - you're allowed to.

Overall, we live in a Democracy where the people make the decision for who they want to lead. Regardless of where you are in the world when it comes time to vote, your voice will be heard. Whether you want to continue the work that President Obama has created or want to have walls to divide and protect us, go out and exercise your right rather than complain about it via facebook come November 9.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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