Who Voted?

I know that there has been plenty of talk about the current election. It seems as though every 4 years this country sees itself split down the middle.At first, they bicker back and forth and it seems that whoever bickers the loudest makes an impact on the rest of the people who are yelling about the same stuff. Then everyone decides that the person who is yelling the loudest should go yell for them in the race to becoming the next president. At this early stage of the process, it is decided as to whom will represent either side of many controversial issues. Once it comes time to have the nation vote on who these two candidates, chosen by an elite few in much earlier months, millions go out to the polls and cast their votes.

This year, we had particularly loud yellers. Both of whom were very much disliked by the opposing party of yellers. It seems as though the reality tv trend finally hit the main stage. This election seemed to play out much like a tv series will its very publicized dramatic events. Every week turned up something new for voters to watch and talk about. Just like a weekly episode on their favorite tv show.

It came down to two rather decisively different choices, both having some major drawbacks. 

But still, millions got out of their homes and voted so that they could voice their opinion on the matter.

As the nation voted on the future of their beloved country, they looked out onto those who were not casting their votes nor utilizing their voices at the polls and felt a need to educate and shame them. 

I understand that some times a single vote matters, especially when it's combined with thousands of others who felt as though their vote would not radically change the results. Nearly half the nation did not vote and the winning candidate won with only 25% of the nation's votes.

For many of the people complaining about those who did not vote, also feel as though voting for someone other than the 2 major candidates is similar to not voting since it takes away votes from the others. Something I do not comprehend since quite often people are going out of their way to voice their beliefs, even if they aren't popular beliefs.

As for me, here in little ol NM, I did not vote. 

And it didn't change anything. Like at all.

This stare control 5 of the 538 electoral votes that a candidate only needs 270 of to win.

That's less than 1%.

Neither candid ate had a tough fight to lay claim to my vote.

The candidates who were truly popular in these areas, we're either left out of the race in favor for others in their party who yelled louder and had more money or were not in either major party. 

I did not vote because in this election my vote was insignificant and not important. 

Even if every single eligeblet voter in New Mexico went out and voted, the results of how the nation feels would not have drastically changed and let's say that they may have, and NM's electoral votes went to the other candidate, the outcome would have been the same. 

I do not live in a swing state that hold a significant portion of the votes nor in a state that flops back and forth on which party they support. 

I live in a state that has 1% of the votes and traditionally supports the same political party. 

Makes my vote feel sad and worthless. 

I understand that all the votes kind of matter but with the system we have set up, some votes and worth more than others. And it sucks. 

I hope to live in another state someday and maybe if it's a state where votes count, I will vote, but until then I abstain from the political battle known as voting.