Is there any reason to vote against the predominant majority?

Question

Let us take the example of voting in a U.S. presidential election. If one lives in a blue state for which the outcome of the vote is known to always favor the Democratic candidate, is there any reason that would prompt one to vote Republican, or vice versa? I have always heard the argument that for Republicans in, say California or Massachusetts, it is essentially pointless to bother voting at all. The same would apply to Democrats in Texas or Oklahoma. Is there a counter-argument to this claim?

Answer 1

Yes. Personal values. Voting is ultimately about who YOU think should be the president. Even in the US where we have the electoral college, the public opinion and vote still play a role in elections. Political elections are not like gambling where you "win" if you vote for the person who gets elected. Rather, they are an opportunity for you to state your opinion. Sure, independently your vote is small. However, on a larger, it is one voice that adds to a louder gathering.

In the US the electoral college decides the election of the President. Because of the nature of that and gerrymandering the person that gets the most electoral votes doesn't always get the popular vote and vice versa. However, that doesn't mean that your vote doesn't matter at all. Your vote also applies to local politicians, state politicians, and federal legislators. All of these positions directly impact the citizens that vote for them. They also impact the power of the president. The president is not the king. The president answers to the voters and the legislators. The president does not make the laws. Congress does.

In the US there is a phrase "E pluribus Unum". It means "Out of many, one". In other words, one voice comes from the voice of many concerned citizens. That is the nature of democracy. Your vote matters, even in places where you are not the majority party on the federal level.