Does our vote really count? Or is the presidency chosen before the election even begins?

Question

Does our vote really count? Or do you think that powerful people choose our president, and the elections are just a front. Are we really in charge? Or are certain powerful people the ones who are really pulling the strings.

Answer 1

Yes your vote counts--the last two presidential elections have proven that.

But remember, it's not just presidential elections. There are local elections where your vote counts even more.

And if you live in Cook County, Illinois, your vote counts as often as you vote ! :)

Answer 2

The United States Electoral College is the electoral college that chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each presidential election. The Electoral College was established by Article Two, Section One of the United States Constitution and votes every four years with electors from each state. The electoral process was modified in 1804 with the ratification of the 12th Amendment and again in 1961 with the ratification of the 23rd Amendment.

The Electoral College is administered at the national level by the National Archives and Records Administration via its Office of the Federal Register. The actual meetings of electors in each state are administered by state officials.

So, in a sense, you could debate whether your vote counts especially when the president loses the popular vote but wins the Electoral votes.

In the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000, the candidate who received a plurality of the popular vote did not become president.

Proponents of the system counter that the Electoral College requires candidates to garner more widespread support throughout the Union; a popular vote system could elect a person who wins by a large margin in a few states over another person who wins by small margins in most states. The latter candidate, the argument goes, has to appeal to a broader array of interests than the former and is less likely to be a demagogue or extremist. Beneficiaries of the proclaimed losses of the "disenfranchised" could likely find themselves equal claimants of disenfranchisement were a reversal of the situation more obvious. Since the system does not easily lend itself to analysis of disenfranchisement of "small states", however, no such claims are extant.

Answer 3

You vote for the electors for President, not for the office of President itself. The electors' votes are the "official" votes that determine our President. The electors are chosen by the state legislature, and unless that state's constitution says otherwise, they're not legally required to vote as they pledge, nor is the legislature legally required to follow the popular vote. So in a technical sense, our "vote" for President doesn't really count, except in states where they're bound by their constitution to follow the popular vote results.

To those who still live under the fantasy that Bush was "appointed" or "selected" in the 2000 election, I submit the following argument:

Imagine yourself as a journalist working for a mainstream media outlet. Go ahead, pick one. ABC, NBC, CBS, the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Time magazine, Newsweek, any one you like. Got one? OK, let's rewind history a bit, to the point where Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris announces that she's certifying Bush as the winner of the state, ballots are being recounted again, and your employer sends you down there to check it out for yourself. If you discovered that Gore had actually won the popular vote in Florida, you'd make sure everyone knew it, wouldn't you? Such a story would certainly be front-page news across the country, wouldn't it? But no story ever appeared. Why? Because after all the recounts, Bush STILL won, even when the media looked for themselves. So no, the election wasn't "stolen" from you. Get over it already.

Answer 4

Your vote does count. Ask the roughly ~600 people in Florida who voted for Pat Buchanan or George Bush by mistake in the 2000 presidential elections. Now if you live in an area that leans heavily against your candidate, you may feel like your vote is irrelevant. But that's what happens in a first past the post democracy (winner take all): it's the sum total of all of our votes that matter (except for the electoral college system).

Answer 5

We as a nation definetly need a different system for electing our public officials. And we need reform in how the politician,s are funding their war chest,s. Changing to popular vote is a start. Stopping the big companies and lobbiest from even being involved in an election should be law, set a limit on funding each candidate also a law, with funding coming from the people thru a limited amount from each, and listed in an open book. voting machines would have to be identical throughout the country, policed by human,s. A limit on how much each canditate spends should be in effect. Free TV time ,equal to each mandatory. As it stand,s now,NO our vote doesn,t count. It,s a mockery of true democracy.

Answer 6

BINGO!!!!! It's the rich that chooses!!! Our votes don't mean a hoot......they are already chosen way before we go to the poles!!! what do you think would happen if NOBODY showed up to vote? the rich would choose like always and another thing these people that r in congress and what have you should only be ALLOWED to be in office for a certain amount of time!!!!!!!! i mean my gosh there are old geezer's on walkers!!! why not give it up and give someone else a chance!!??? I like the Kennedy's and don't get me wrong but why can't they give someone else a chance all it is is a money thing and power...get drunk have a party wreck and get no time!!!

Answer 7

Although it is healthy to wonder such things, it is also self serving. In the 2000 election, anyone who voted for Bush would say "sure it counts", but those who voted for Gore would say "of course not". If it's close in 2008 with a democrat elected, you can expect the reverse. This is why:

People who voted for Gore can not believe that anyone voted for Bush and vice versa. It is easier for people to believe in this "string pulling" theory than to admit that they don't hear opinions outside of their own due to their selection of "news", information, and/or circle of friends (or circle jerks - in some cases).

It's easier to believe in a conspiracy than the idea that so many could disagree with your very "right" point of view. People engage in this behavior, even outside of politics, when they are dissatisfied with the outcome.

Answer 8

You're definitely a lost person, of course it counts! Those that say it doesn't because the Electoral College elects are flat wrong. The Electoral College is the RESULT of the votes cast in each state.

Answer 9

In my opinion, every president since the turn of the century has been a puppet of one secret organization or another. We have a choice of who we vote for, but not who runs for office. There is no way an unconnected person could afford to run for any higher office in this day and age which is a damn shame because most of out politicians have never held any other job and are completely out of touch with what it is to be a "normal", hardworking American.

Answer 10

Yes, votes definitely count.The President is undoubtedly chosen by the people only and is not decided by any body before the elections.