2020, it’s the election season again, and you probably have seen ads or stopped by someone on the street persuading you to vote million times. They always say: “Your vote matters!” But are they really? Should you vote? Keep reading cuz this blog might offer you some new perspectives on voting.
Who are you really voting for?
Before I make a point about voting, let’s take a look at who you are really voting for.
In the general election, you may think that you are voting for the president, but you aren’t! You actually vote for representatives. The U.S. Electoral College works in the way that every state gets a certain number of electors based on the state population. In 48 out of all states, whichever candidate wins the popular vote receives all the state’s electoral votes. However, although some states have laws to require electors to vote the way the public tells them to, there is no federal law that requires it. A faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the candidate that wins the state primary. Faithless voting has happened 157 times in the U.S. history.
Additionally, since the number of electors is decided based on state population, each electoral vote holds different amounts of power. In large population state like California, one electoral vote represents 75,000 people versus one vote represents nearly 200,000 people in less populated state such as Wyoming. It means if you live in California your voice does not have the same weight as someone who lives in Wyoming. Knowing the fact that your vote may not matter, should you still vote?
The answer is
The general election system is not perfect since it can lead to elections where most people vote for one candidate, but the other wins by electoral votes.
Does this disappoint you? Well, don’t get discouraged at here because you can fix the voting system by voting. If you don’t vote, your future will be decided by the majority who voted. It is important to vote not for anyone else, but yourself.
If your excuse for not to vote is because no candidate is good enough worth the vote in the general election, then don’t wait till that there are only two players left in the game. You should vote in primaries, a time where you pick who get to be the candidate.
Why does voting in primaries matter?
Remember the time that your mom got you an ugly Christmas sweater? You did not like it but have to wear it for Christmas family photo. You also didn’t want to tell your mom that you actually don’t like it because you are afraid it might hurt her feelings. I know it might not be the best analogy, but if you don’t vote, it will ended up make you feel like wearing the ugly Christmas sweater.
Now you are all grown up. You get to pick what to wear for Christmas, if nothing satisfies you on the market, you can also customize for yourself, and voting in primaries is a lot like you picking a piece of fabric for customization. If you vote, then you get to a chance to choose who the candidate will be.
It is hundreds of you that make up a community; it is hundred thousands of you that make up a state; it is 372.2 million people like you that forms the United States.
According to Business Insider, around 138 million Americans voted in the 2016 presidential election, yet the 138 million only make up 58.1% of the voting-eligible population in the U.S. Is it really fair that the less than 60% people decided for the rest of the country? If the rest 41.9% all voted, the result might not be the same.
I can’t stress enough on how significant to vote is, so I’ll just show you how easy voting is if your excuse for not to vote is “Oh it’s just too complicated.”
How to Vote?
Here, I’ll take how to vote in California as an example.
Step 1 Register to Vote
You can do this online by visiting registertovote.ca.gov. As easy as unsubscribe for a newsletter. Paper option is also available at local DMV, post office, and public library. Have your driver license/state ID, last four digits of SSN and date of birth ready. Viola!
Step 2 Cast Your Vote
There are three ways to vote.
- Vote By Mail:you can either return the ballot via mail or in person
- Vote Early in Person: some counties offer early voting via mail (check www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices for details)
- Vote at the Polls on Election Day: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m on March 3, 2020. Find your polling locations by calling (800) 345-VOTE (8683), or texting Vote to GOVOTE (468683), or visiting www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place
References:
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