EVERY VOTE COUNTS
Polls Don't Decide Elections. Voters Do.
By Michael Cunningham Sr.
Six days.
That's all that remains before Americans go to the polls on November 3 to help determine the direction of this nation.
For months, we've been hearing from pollsters, political analysts, television commentators, and self-proclaimed experts telling us who is going to win, who is going to lose, and which party will control Congress.
Some predictions sound almost like the election has already been decided.
Well, I've got news for them.
THE POLLS DON'T ELECT OUR LEADERS. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO!
I've lived 82 years. I've seen presidents come and go, political parties rise and fall, and election results that surprised just about everybody.
And if there's one thing those years have taught me, it's this:
Never confuse a prediction with a decision.
The Most Dangerous Words in American Politics
"My vote doesn't matter."
Those four words have probably done more to discourage participation in our elections than a thousand political advertisements.
Think about it.
What happens when a thousand people decide their votes won't matter? What happens when ten thousand decide the same thing?
They surrender their opportunity to be heard.
In the 2000 presidential election, the outcome ultimately hinged on Florida, where the certified margin was just 537 votes.
Five hundred and thirty-seven votes!
And people still believe a single vote doesn't matter?
Not every election is decided by a handful of ballots, but every election is decided by the people who actually participate.
I Wore the Uniform. I Remember What Freedom Means.
From 1962 to 1966, I proudly served in the United States Marine Corps.
I remember the Cold War. I remember the Cuban Missile Crisis. I remember when Americans wondered whether our nation might be dragged into a nuclear confrontation.
Those weren't imaginary threats.
We lived with them.
And I remember understanding that the freedoms we enjoyed weren't handed to us without sacrifice.
Generations of Americans fought, suffered, and sometimes died defending this country and its constitutional system.
Voting is one of the ways we honor that inheritance.
It is an opportunity that should never be taken lightly.
Don't Let a Poll Tell You to Stay Home
I don't care whether your candidate is twenty points ahead or twenty points behind.
A poll is not a ballot.
Pollsters can interview thousands of people. They can build sophisticated models and calculate statistical probabilities.
But they cannot know with certainty who will show up, who will stay home, or how every undecided voter will make a final decision.
History has shown that polling can miss the mark.
And history has also shown that political surprises happen.
So don't surrender your voice because somebody on television tells you the outcome is inevitable.
It isn't over until the voters have spoken and the votes have been counted.
Our Government Belongs to the People
Somewhere along the way, I believe too many Americans began treating politics like a spectator sport.
We watch the arguments. We complain about Washington. We criticize Congress. We shake our heads at the evening news.
But complaining and participating are two different things.
The Constitution begins with three powerful words:
WE THE PEOPLE.
Not "We the Politicians."
Not "We the Pollsters."
Not "We the Television Networks."
WE THE PEOPLE.
Those words remind us where the authority of our constitutional government comes from.
And with that authority comes responsibility.
November 3 Is Not a Prediction. It's a Decision.
On November 3, Americans will make choices that affect taxes, spending, national security, immigration, the economy, and countless other issues.
We won't all agree.
That's part of living in a free country.
But regardless of our political differences, we should agree on something fundamental.
Our republic functions best when its citizens take their responsibilities seriously.
Study the candidates. Understand the issues. Think about the future you want for your children and grandchildren.
And exercise your right to vote.
One Final Thought From an Old Marine
At 82 years of age, I don't know how many more elections I'll witness.
But I do know this.
I still believe in America.
I still believe in the Constitution.
I still believe in the freedom that generations of Americans have defended.
And I still believe that ordinary citizens, not political experts or television personalities, ultimately determine who represents them.
So when somebody tells you the election is already decided, remember this:
THE POLLS DON'T DECIDE ELECTIONS.
THE POLITICIANS DON'T GET TO CAST YOUR VOTE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE THE FINAL SAY.
And that is something worth remembering.
EVERY VOTE COUNTS. EVERY VOICE MATTERS.
Semper Fidelis.
Michael Cunningham Sr.
Mike's Observations
