I'm a Rhode Islander who's moved to Massachusetts, two of the most liberal states in the union. This is my second time voting in a presidential race. I voted in the Kerry-Bush slugfest back in RI, and if want to know who I voted for, I can't tell you that; I don't remember. Kerry's victory in my tiny little state was so assured, it didn't matter (via Wikipedia, 59% to 39%). I quite literally checked off some guy's name I never heard of an walked out feeling like I had wasted my time.
That's why everyone, Democrat AND Republican, should be so excited this primary season. Our vote matters.
Everyone has been up in arms about the ever encroaching Presidential Primaries this year, but their time and place has done, for once, little to influence the outcome aside from weeding out a few. 2 years ago today, I could feel confident of getting out of work on election day and going straight home, because there would be a front runner who would take it all, with no serious challengers. Oh, how I'm glad to be wrong.
On both the Democratic and the Republican side there are distinct, viable, and realistic choices. Those dropping out have had their influences remain in the race. As polling shows, a coin flip has as great a chance as research to determine our nominees for president. The candidates are forced more than any time I remember to hold true to the typical falsehood of "every vote counts".
When it comes down to it, I'm a Democratic voter in a Democratic state who's Democratic vote will make a difference. It doesn't matter if I fill in the little bubble next to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or if I were a Republican, John McCain or Mitt Romney. What's a completely new feeling is that by filling in that circle today, I feel that my vote could actually be the difference. This is what Democracy is all about; everyone having a meaningful say in their elected leaders.