the Popular Vote does not elect the President of the United States, don't you?
The Electoral College elects the President of the United States. The popular vote does not count in a Presidential Election. Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000, against George W. Bush. He had about 540,000 more votes than Bush.
So what's my point? Yes, please register to vote, but make sure you vote in all state and local elections, where your vote does count. Our local officials make decisions which directly affect our lives.
Remember, Steve McLean won the commission seat in Ward 3 by FORTY votes. Election 2015
ReplyDeleteElaine
Well said. It is local government that has the most immediate, and sometimes the greatest, impact on one's wallet! However, whether one's vote counts is subject to a great deal of qualification.
ReplyDeleteThe national duopoly offers the electorate two historically unfavorable candidates for president. Polling data shows that the vast majority of likely voters in this election will not be voting "for," but "against," with the likelihood of an individual's vote affecting the outcome approaching zero.
In may respects Mt. Lebanon choices are even worse, especially at the school district level where it is essentially a "Hobsin's choice." If we had actual choices in Mt. Lebanon elections then one's vote would not be a mockery. But when only one-third of registered voters bother to get involved in the local political process then the remainder get what they deserve.