I hear so many people, especially younger people, make the comment that they don't bother to vote simply because one little vote out of so many doesn't really matter. Well, they're wrong. One vote can make a difference.
One single vote has changed history on numerous occasions.
Did you know that Oliver Cromwell was given control of England by a single vote? In 1800, Thomas Jefferson was elected President by one vote in the House of Representatives after a tie in the electoral college. One vote also saved President Andrew Jackson from impeachment. One vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States. In 1962, Governors of Maine, Rhode Island and North Dakota were all elected by an average of one vote per precinct. In 1994 - 1.1 votes per precinct in Alaska elected Tony Knowles as Governor and Fran Ulmer as Lt. Governor (out of 216,668 votes cast in the General Election). In 1997 - Vermont State representative Sydney Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote winner, 570 to 569. Mr. Nixon then had to resign when a recount determined that he had actually lost to his opponent Robert Emond 572 to 571 (one vote). And there are many, many more examples of when decisions on candidates and important issues were decided by a single vote.
Contributing a single vote (one which may make the difference and could potentially change history) is an opportunity, a right and a privilege for for all American citizens, 18 or older. It is also your obligation and a way for you to have your say in who runs things and how they are run!
And remember: In this country voting is confidential. No one can see or know how you vote -and no one has the right to tell you how to vote. Who or what you decide to vote for is entirely your choice. Unless you want to, you do not have to tell anyone how you are going to vote or how you voted.
Your only duty is to decide who or what to vote for. Do that by simply watching and listening.
The reason for listening and watching the various campaigns is important because that will tell you what they want to do for the state or the country. See what they are going to put on the table and what programs will benefit the people but, in the end it’s your personal choice. It's important.
If you don't want to be bothered with voting -well then, shut up and don't complain about who gets elected and how things are run. You had your chance to influence things and you chose not to exercise that right. If you want to have a say in how the country’s run and what our elected officials are doing, then vote.
One single vote has changed history on numerous occasions.
Did you know that Oliver Cromwell was given control of England by a single vote? In 1800, Thomas Jefferson was elected President by one vote in the House of Representatives after a tie in the electoral college. One vote also saved President Andrew Jackson from impeachment. One vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States. In 1962, Governors of Maine, Rhode Island and North Dakota were all elected by an average of one vote per precinct. In 1994 - 1.1 votes per precinct in Alaska elected Tony Knowles as Governor and Fran Ulmer as Lt. Governor (out of 216,668 votes cast in the General Election). In 1997 - Vermont State representative Sydney Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote winner, 570 to 569. Mr. Nixon then had to resign when a recount determined that he had actually lost to his opponent Robert Emond 572 to 571 (one vote). And there are many, many more examples of when decisions on candidates and important issues were decided by a single vote.
Contributing a single vote (one which may make the difference and could potentially change history) is an opportunity, a right and a privilege for for all American citizens, 18 or older. It is also your obligation and a way for you to have your say in who runs things and how they are run!
And remember: In this country voting is confidential. No one can see or know how you vote -and no one has the right to tell you how to vote. Who or what you decide to vote for is entirely your choice. Unless you want to, you do not have to tell anyone how you are going to vote or how you voted.
Your only duty is to decide who or what to vote for. Do that by simply watching and listening.
The reason for listening and watching the various campaigns is important because that will tell you what they want to do for the state or the country. See what they are going to put on the table and what programs will benefit the people but, in the end it’s your personal choice. It's important.
If you don't want to be bothered with voting -well then, shut up and don't complain about who gets elected and how things are run. You had your chance to influence things and you chose not to exercise that right. If you want to have a say in how the country’s run and what our elected officials are doing, then vote.
Live Long and Prosper...
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