Is it just me, or does living in a red state make my vote worthless?

[flaminbats]

In my part of the state there will only be four Democrats on the ballot. Only one of these Democrats has a real chance of winning here in November. Unfortunately even if that Democrat is elected to the state Senate, he will probably do what my last state Senator did after the election...switch parties.

Why should I even waste my time when Kerry will not win Georgia, Isakson has practically been elected U.S. Senator, when Bobby Baker will be re-elected to the PSC, when Nathan Deal is unopposed for Congress, and the only Democrat who could win with my support is likely to switch parties after November? I have been active in politics for over 10 years...and I already feel used, deceived, and completely worthless.

Does my vote really count? How can I get others to waste time voting when I'm not even convinced? :eyes:

[nankerphelge]

1. Because that's what THEY want you to believe

[LostInAnomie]

2. I live in Indiana and I have the same problem

I just consider my vote a protest vote but at least it lets the Repugs know that there are some people out there that hate their policies.

[flaminbats]

7. That's the same reason I still vote...

in 1992 Clinton won Georgia, now it's considered a solid red state. In 1996 Cleland was elected to the Senate, two years ago he was brutally defeated. In 1992 and 1994 Nathan Deal was elected to Congress with my vote, in 1995 he switched sides. In 1994 and 2000 Zell Miller was elected with my vote, then he switched sides.

Once I felt like my vote made a difference, now I feel like it is merely a protest to be ignored by the Republicans. Here's to all the unnoticed protest votes in red states like ours! :toast:

[murielm99]

8. But Democrats have been elected in your state in the recent

past.

There is hope that they will be again. Your vote is not a protest only, especially if you get the vote out as much as possible.

Don't let them defeat you psychologically.

I live in a solid blue state, but my county is repuke. I see more * signs here than anything else. They keep talking up their candidate, even though he will not win this state. They even keep talking up Keyes, the idiot running for senate. And he is only polling 17% of the vote!

Stay in their faces. That is what they do to us. Keep the faith.

[flaminbats]

11. the real Democrats shine brightest in dark times like these..

I've had my faith tested before as a Democrat, but never more so than now. Mondale and McGovern must have really been in the dumps when they ran, but both continue to be proud champions of this party.

Thanks for your message..:)

[murielm99]

12. McGovern was the first Presidential candidate I voted for.

And I am proud that I did.

[cindyw]

3. Look at it this way. The popular vote is what gives a president his

mandate. If Kerry wins a significant amount of the vote in a red state, even if he does not win the state, then he has more leverage to get his plans through the congress.

[HawkerHurricane]

5. If only.

George the Lesser acted like he had a mandate, even though he LOST the popular vote (and WOULD have lost the Electoral Vote but for 5 Supremes), even before 9/11.

He ran from the middle.

He won on a fluke.

He had no mandate.

So he turned hard right as soon as he was in office.

[Warpy]

4. Remember, Gore won the popular vote by half a million

and that was considered extremely close. If Kerry wins the popular vote by one million, five million, ten million, it will be even harder for Chimp to claim any sort of mandate, even if he manages to fiddle the vote to get an electoral majority.

So hell yes! Every vote counts.

[MGKrebs]

6. There are at least 537 people in Florida who have been

wondering the same thing.

[Syrinx]

9. Vote Early And Vote Often!

I'm next door in 'Bama, and I guess we're even more red than Georgia. But if we could just convince the people that feel like you do to go vote, we could win both states. Go vote! If nothing else, we can make the margins slimmer than they expect and maybe force them to spend resources down here next time. Vote, and encourage your friends to vote, especially your black friends. :)

[liberalmuse]

10. Hell, I live in Utah.

And am delusional enough to believe my vote ultimately does count. I figure it will be added to the nation's popular vote tally, if nothing else. If my vote helps Utah move below 62% for Bush, I will feel triumphant.

Anyway, we do have a lot of good Democrats running for local office. One of them, Peter Corroon, who is Howard Dean's cousin, is running for SL County Mayor against a disgusting, porcine, rich Republican POS and one of the crookedest politicians this state has ever had, incumbent SL County Mayor, Nancy Workman. That woman has become widely disliked, as attested to by a crack about her in the play I saw tonight. The audience reaction was over-the-top. Salt Lake City will be voting for Kerry--it's the rest of the state that is f*cked up and benefitting from subsidies the tax dollars from SLC residents provide for them. I'll bet Atlanta will be voting for Kerry as well. It's a start.

[flaminbats]

13. and I thought I was bad off...

Isn't Utah's only Democratic Congressman from Salt Lake City?...and he's as conservative as Democrats possibly come!

That's not counting Zell Miller as either a Democrat or a real conservative...;)

[burned]

14. there are two constitutional amendments on the ballot

one defining marriage as between a man and a woman and the other is providing the Supreme Court jurisdiction to answer questions of law from federal courts.

[Alpharetta]

15. Clog the polls

show up on election day

get in line. maybe some Bush voters will show up, see the line and decide never to vote again.

[Iris]

16. Check out this website:

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

A Rassmusen poll found 42% Kerry & 43% Bush on September 23 (my birthday!)