Don’t think your vote makes a difference? Ever get so cynical you just want to write in “none of the above?”
Well, we hope you didn’t do that in the 21st House District race in Virginia Beach. Democratic Incumbent Delegate Bobby Mathieson and Republican challenger Ron Villanueva were separated by just 16 votes out of 15, 357 cast in Tuesday’s election. That’s less than the number of write-in votes (33). So if you voted for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or “None of the Above,” shame on you. You wasted your vote and could have actually decided this race. If you ever needed proof that every vote is crucial, this race is it.
Meanwhile, in Southern Shores, North Carolina, in an odd twist, a write-in candidate defeated the incumbent head of the town council. The incumbent was the only name on the ballot, but the write-in candidate won by 28 votes. Isn’t democracy interesting? Again, proof that every vote counts, especially in a small local election.
Speaking of which, Virginia Beach will have a stealthy, off-cycle special election to fill former State Senator Ken Stolle’s vacant Senate seat. Republicans have two, well-funded candidates in the field fighting for the seat. Democrats have yet to field a candidate. Turnout is likely to be very low. Every single vote will be magnified in importance.
People died to give you the right to vote. Exercise your rights vigorously and hold politicians accountable. Always VOTE!
Filed under: Local, Voting | Tagged: Hampton Roads, Voting
Unless you vote several times in upcoming elections, your vote doesn’t count for squat. The U.S Constitution is SILENT concerning our RIGHT to vote. This is delegated to the states so that they can concoct 50 different sets of keystone-cops-style voting laws. We do not have the ABILITY to vote for representatives of good report. In order for our vote to have any meaning at all, we have to vote for candidates from political machines. Want your vote to count? Fix the problems with the 1965 Nation Voting Act, add the right to reject any or all candidates, and propose it at a Constitutional Amendment. That is only the START of what needs to be done; but 95% of the greed, corruption, and unethical, immoral practices of our leaders and captains of industry will go away.