Your vote counts

Regarding “Editorial: Haven’t voted? Time to show up and here’s why,” (Oct. 31): Of all the many listed reasons given by hesitant citizens not to vote, why is, “One little vote doesn’t matter” so disappointing to hear? Why does using other familiar, powerless terms to describe the vote — one drop in the bucket, or one drop in the ocean — seem so misleading?

Let’s be clear. To vote in any election is not to drip a little drop of anything, anywhere. Rather, I believe voting is more like really throwing your weight around.

I believe that is a much better way to understand what it really means to cast one’s vote. Let me explain. I am reminded of a National Historic Landmark in Baltimore, the famous Phoenix Shot Tower. Molten lead was dropped from a platform at the top and into a vat of cold water at the bottom of the tower to produce a “drop shot” for muskets. Now imagine that each citizen is virtually issued an equivalent lead drop shot for each vote to be cast. By casting that lead shot onto a balance scale for the chosen candidate, a voter is therefore throwing their weight in with all the other voters for that candidate, hopefully tipping the scales their way.

For every citizen then, the question becomes, did you throw your weight? That is, the weight you’re officially entitled to throw? Did you? Or, did you waste good lead, not actually using what you’ve been officially issued by our democratic system of governance? Come. On. Let’s get busy folks! Start throwing your weight around. It’s your official right to do so. And don’t let any wimps try to convince you that “one little vote doesn’t count.” Robert F. Forker, Houston