In a democracy, one vote matters
by Filippa Pizzi
The city of Boston has within it over 200,000 registered voters. However, it is both alarming and frightening that fewer and fewer eligible voters exercise their right to vote or pay attention to the issues or who is running for office. How many times have we heard someone say, "My one vote won't matter, so I just didn't bother?"
For eight years I was a Democratic State Committee woman for the Suffolk and Middlesex District. I've supported a number of candidates and even ran for state senate twice. I think participation in the democratic process is important. Individual votes do matter. Many of us remember an election for state representative over 20 years ago which was decided by two votes.
Since East Boston OnLine (http://www.eastboston.com) is a valuable resource for our community -- providing useful, updated information for all of us, I would like to use this medium to illustrate the importance of voting. To show how important voting is in our democracy, I quote the following from a newspaper column with the hope that it will be read by many people. Perhaps after reading this article people will realize how important one vote can be and perhaps change their mind about the value of voting. Just imagine if our right to vote in a free election were taken away! By our inaction, we would subject ourselves to tyranny as history shows us. I quote:
"How important is one voter?
In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England.
In 1694, one voter caused Charles I of England to be executed.
In 1776, one vote game America the English language instead of German.
In 1845 one vote brought Texas into the Union.
In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.
In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.
In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States.
In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party.
In 1941, one vote saved Selective Service -- just weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked."
Yes one vote makes a difference. So next week as we go out to elect a presidential nominee and ward committee members, please get out and vote. It matters.
(Filippa Pizzi is a longtime community activist in East Boston. She is also a librarian at the State Library in the Massachusetts State House.)
Where to vote in East Boston on Tuesday, September 25
Link updated 04/25/2018
