After the recent election, many Americans feel anxious and frustrated about how little their votes matter. Voting gives the average person a voice in politics, but its impact on the presidential election can sometimes be negligible.
The voting system is deeply flawed, and I resent the role of the Electoral College because of how it handles votes. All states except Maine and Nebraska use a winner-take-all system for counting votes. Essentially, the electors only reflect some people’s beliefs.
Joshua Stockley, director of the ULM Honors Program, describes why voters in safe states can feel discouraged by the winner-take-all system.
“If you are a Republican in California or a Democrat in Louisiana, then you may feel that your presidential vote is meaningless,” Stockley said.
With how the system stands today, the election results do not reflect the beliefs of most voters.
As a Kamala Harris supporter in a historically red state, my vote may not matter.
Louisianans have voted for a Democratic candidate only three times in the presidential election since 1976. My state’s near-guaranteed support for Republican candidates makes campaigns seem less important and renders Democratic votes insignificant.
The focus that presidential candidates put on swing states only adds to voters’ woes. Every vote in Louisiana and other safe states does not carry as much weight in swing states. The idea that my vote will hold less value simply because of where I live is not just discouraging but infuriating.
AThe National Archives and Records Administration is a national database for preserving document. According to its research, “over the past 200 years, more than 700 proposals have been introduced in Congress to reform or eliminate the Electoral College.”
The Electoral College remains in place despite the many proposals and evidence proposed by officials of its ineffectiveness.
Ironically, voting is the best way for the average person to resolve them. Reform can only happen if we stay engaged in politics and vote in presidential or local elections.
