I am a born and raised DC native who is constantly perplexed by the idea that people who vote for the loser in any election do not still provide a service. They do matter. The only time you do not matter is when you fail to vote.
I remember growing up in the suburbs of our nation's capitol, just wishing for the day I was old enough to vote; I even had "ALL THE WAY WITH LBJ" cowboy-shaped campaign stickers on my bike when it was stolen from my yard in 1964 (the stickers helped the police locate it!) I mention this part of my past because, as someone who always yearned for the day that I would be able to exercise my civic duty, I just do not understand how people are so reluctant or unmotivated to vote; to participate in the government owned by the People.
Let me tell you a true story out of Scottsboro, Alabama about 10 years or so ago. There was a city council seat open: A recent high school graduate decided he would taste the political waters. This eighteen year old man put together a campaign with no money, but plenty of activist, FREE support. No one took him seriously; he was kindly "dealt with" in the media as a "kid getting his feet wet". The young man e-mailed all of his recent graduate friends, many already off to college,urging them to come back and, well, he won. He won because he was able to convince his, up until that point, apathetic contemporaries that their vote DID count whether or not he won.
In England this segment is called the "loyal opposition"; the key word being "loyal". Even if we "lose", we have a duty out of loyalty to participate and be heard.
I actually see more value in the losing side's final numbers; the victor, no matter which side, needs to know what kind of percentage of his constituents DIDN'T vote for him. When people get apathetic and don't vote they end up having a double-negative effect on their beliefs and causes. First of all, their side loses. The second and more dangerous effect to the system is that, as the percentage of voters on their side shrinks, the pool of the other side's supporters appears larger. I say "appears" because the fact that their point of view is now held by a larger percent of voters, solely due to a lower voter turnout, is often lost on the party in power.
Our elected representatives should always be aware that their view is not the only view in their district, state, etc. If people quit voting because "their guy" never wins, then "the other guy" will continue to win by increasingly larger margins due to the shrinking pool of voters.
Ronald Reagan was elected by approximately 24+ percent of all eligible voters in America and it was called a landslide and a mandate. This can only happen when voter turnout is low. ( Note; I said "eligible", not "registered"- another topic in itself). A larger voter turnout may or may not have changed any results, but it sure would have reduced the size of the "mandate" these folks thought they had; the winners would have had a better idea as to how many Americans did not vote for them. This is why it is said; "If you don't vote, you don't count". To that I add that you only whine and complain.
If The U.S. was to see the percentage of voter turnout seen in many European democracies I think we would see a much different picture of this country from that which is currently presented. Generally, when voter turnout is low, the conservative side does better and when the turnouts are higher the left does better. This tells me that we live in a much more left-leaning country than many believe. It also tells me that many on the left have become so apathetic to politics because they think their vote doesn't count; a vicious circle indeed.
As a self-described socialist/democrat ( and a pragmatist) I cannot urge enough for people on the progressive side of the political spectrum to become more educated and be prepared to defend your beliefs in a discussion with facts as your weapons. As an American I can say I would rather have someone be educated on the issues and vote "the other way" than I would have a citizen cast their vote a particular way just because someone told them to. In the end I feel the more that, if people become educated about the issues confronting us, the more progressive they tend be in their views about how to address problems, possible solutions, and especially in their voting. The key here is that people become educated with facts obtained through research and not from sound bytes or some t.v or radio personality.
This all begins at home; you'd be surprised how many people you know who do not vote; in my 58 years I am still surprised when I find out that so-and-so doesn't vote. Writing letters to the editor is great. VOTE. Going door to door is great. VOTE. Making phone calls is great. VOTE. Monetary support is vital. VOTE.
The vote is the biggest contribution you can make to a candidate or cause you support. It is one of the biggest contributions you can make to your country as well. You ARE the government; own it. They work for us, but we must communicate with them. Start today, because yesterday is gone and we can't wait for tomorrow anymore.