Does My Vote Matter?

• “No”

  

  “Electoral College: Your Vote Matters Less in Presidential Elections”

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Electoral College: Your Vote Matters Less in Presidential Elections

Art Carden

Economics Professor, Rhodes College

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I live in Tennessee, which would likely be a Republican lock no matter who the candidates were. Indeed, the prediction markets at www.intrade.com are predicting that a Republican victory in Tennessee is virtually a sure thing. The prediction markets predict that an Obama victory in California is also virtually a sure thing. An article in the August 21, 2008 Wall Street Journal said that in national polls the race is now a statistical dead heat. This is interesting information, but in terms of how I vote in November it isn't particularly useful. In the absence of major unforeseen circumstances, McCain will win Tennessee no matter how I vote or whether I vote at all.

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"No" Art Carden

• It Depends on What You Mean by "Matter"
  2
• Electoral College: Your Vote Matters Less in Presidential Elections
  1
• Your Vote "Matters" as a Signal of Your Policy Preferences
  1
• Not Everybody Thinks This Way, So You Can Take Others' Votes as Given
  1
• Evidence Suggests That Voter Errors are Systematically Biased
  1

"No" Rob Nelson

• Face the Facts. Increasingly Your Vote Doesn't Matter
  1
• Every Vote Gets Counted, But Often it Doesn't Really Count
  1
• There are Reasons for Low Voter Turnout...Apathy is the Least of Them
  4
• Voting out of Obligation is Worse Than Not Voting at All.
  1

"Yes" Rock the Vote

• Letting Your Voice Be Heard
  1
• Independent and First-Time Voters are Proving Pivotal in This Election
  0
• A New Electoral Map Has Brought Youth Voters Into the Spotlight
  0

"Yes" League of Women Voters

• One Vote Can Make the Difference - Will It Be Yours?
  1
• Why Should You Vote in the November 4 Election?
  1
• Why Vote? Your Legislators and Governor are Deciding...
  1

Most Objections

• One Vote Can Make the Difference - Will It Be Yours?
  1
• Why Should You Vote in the November 4 Election?
  1
• Why Vote? Your Legislators and Governor are Deciding...
  1
• Letting Your Voice Be Heard
  1
• Independent and First-Time Voters are Proving Pivotal in This Election
  0

Does My Vote Matter?

• Yes
• No

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