Your Power Over State Affairs

Frequently I hear the phrase, "my vote doesn't matter" from my friends, coworkers, and even overhear such talk from the loud conversations of strangers voicing their frustration with our republic. Truly, the most powerful lies contain an ounce of truth, for clearly, within nationwide presidential elections, the clear political majority within your state, whether it be red or blue, grants the matching candidate electoral college votes. Furthermore, this political majority within a state frequently remains nestled within certain counties with high population densities; these areas seem to wrest political control from the rest of the state within our bipartisan presidential elections nationwide. Behold, the completely blue state of Oregon.

It is understandable, if not demonstrably rational to feel that one's vote is merely symbolic in these circumstances. Yet within local state elections, this dynamic is reversed. I will not bore you with statistics, although they are supplied below for those interested in the mathematics of this relatively small-scale democratic phenomenon that produces decisions that in turn affect millions. Generally speaking, a small vocal minority previously prone to taking interest in local legal affairs, mayoral elections, and governor elections pay attention to the state of affairs within their local government. The rest are remain either uninitiated by choice, circumstance, or because of a third variable, the very same factor I aim to expose here; the true degree of their influence. 

Yet, even the already relatively small percentage of any given state's population that actively participates in voting on local affairs is experiencing decline, according to Mark Maciag's investigation in 2014. This political situation only raises the significance of every single votes, indeed there have been cases of state candidates receiving their official positions by not a mere dozen votes, but by the opinions of a single unanimous voter (Montanaro, 2018). Think of what your 400 or so Facebook acquaintances and extended family members could accomplish if you, upon deciding that you dislike a particular candidate's promises, posted an status update detailing precisely why that particular potential state official is the wrong choice for your state. You have the power to block new state laws at your fingertips, and can grant candidates their positions by reaching into your pocket. These days, local elections are primed for your desires, legally prohibiting an activity may be a mere tweet away from realization. 

More on local voter turnout: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/11/in-the-us-almost-no-one-votes-in-local-elections/505766/

More on local voter turnout decreasing: https://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-voter-turnout-municipal-elections.html

More on state elections being won by one or two votes: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/03/663709392/why-every-vote-matters-the-elections-decided-by-a-single-vote-or-a-little-more