(Washington Stand) Imagine you’re a candidate who took the scary leap and ran for office. Month after month, you, along with family members, friends, and other volunteers, go out and talk to voters, raise money, and work through intense media interviews — all in hopes of winning the election.
Then imagine what it would be like once the ballots were tallied on Election Day to find out you didn’t win. And you didn’t lose. Your race ended in a tie. Or imagine you’re in a different race and find out you lost by a single vote. These stories, and many others like them, aren’t hypothetical. They’ve actually happened.
Before we get into these surprising outcomes, let’s take a look at the big picture. Every election cycle we hear, “Be sure to vote” and “Every vote matters.” We know that’s what we’re supposed to say as responsible citizens, but some Americans aren’t convinced. In a nation of over 335 million people, about 75% of whom are voting-age adults, it can be tempting to wonder if one vote is really going to make a difference. (Read More)
