The Power of the Vote: Reflecting on Recent Presidential Elections

As Election Day approaches, the significance of voting resonates more than ever. Voting is the fundamental right through which citizens shape the direction of their country. Reflecting on recent presidential elections, such as those in 2016 and 2020, underscores the power of every vote and how the nation’s future can hinge on voter turnout and public engagement.

In the 2016 election, Donald Trump’s victory was marked by narrow margins in several key states, showcasing how a handful of votes in swing states can determine the presidency. This election highlighted that even small shifts in voter participation can have a massive impact on the final outcome. Trump’s win in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin by less than 1% of the vote revealed how pivotal every vote is in closely contested areas.

2016 Election

In the 2016 election, Donald Trump won several crucial swing states by very narrow margins:

• Pennsylvania: Trump won by 0.72% (44,292 votes).
• Michigan: Trump won by 0.23% (10,704 votes).
• Wisconsin: Trump won by 0.77% (22,748 votes).

The 2020 election, however, saw the highest voter turnout in over a century, with more than 159 million Americans casting ballots. Joe Biden’s victory was again determined by tight margins in several battleground states, demonstrating that each election can redefine the nation’s path depending on voter engagement.

2020 Election

In the 2020 election, Joe Biden reclaimed some of these key states, again with close results, underscoring the impact of each vote:

• Pennsylvania: Biden won by 1.17% (80,555 votes).
• Michigan: Biden won by 2.78% (154,188 votes).
• Wisconsin: Biden won by 0.63% (20,682 votes).
• Georgia: Biden won by 0.23% (11,779 votes).
• Arizona: Biden won by 0.31% (10,457 votes).

These narrow victories helped Biden secure the presidency, demonstrating how small shifts in voter turnout and preferences can dramatically affect election outcomes in swing states. In both elections, these close margins illustrate the profound influence each vote holds in determining leadership, especially in pivotal battleground states. Together, these elections reveal the importance of every individual’s participation in the democratic process. Voting empowers citizens to advocate for the values and policies they support, making it crucial for voters to understand their role in shaping government and, ultimately, the country’s future.

So, if you haven’t yet taken advantage of early or absentee voting, let these examples serve as a reminder: every vote counts, every election shapes our future, and every citizen has a role in our democratic republic.

As journalist Martha Gellhorn once said, “People often say, with pride, ‘I’m not interested in politics.’ They might as well say, ‘I’m not interested in my standard of living, my health, my job, my rights, my freedoms, my future or any future.’ … If we mean to keep any control over our world and lives, we must be interested in politics.”