It's a sad day when I'm speaking out against cynicism

I don't really feel like starting this blog up again, but I didn't feel I had anywhere else to post this, and I really wanted to share it somehow.

Indiana went for Barack Obama--the first time it's gone for a Democratic president in 40 years--by a margin of around 26,000 votes (1,367,264 - 1,341,101).

As of writing this, North Carolina was still undecided because Barack Obama was leading by only 12,000 votes (2,110,322 - 2,098,452).

Missouri went for John McCain by fewer than 6,000 votes (1,442,613 - 1,436,745).

Ted Stevens is currently holding on to his Alaska Senate seat by fewer than 3,500 votes (106,351 - 102,998).

Norm Coleman is eking out Al Franken for Minnesota's Senate seat by fewer than 500 votes (1,211,629 - 1,211,167).

Gordon Smith may hold onto Oregon's Senate seat as he's currently beating Jeff Merkley by almost 12,000 votes (623,882 - 612,003).

And among the Representatives elected to Congress last night, or still struggling...

• Bobby Bright of Alabama's 2nd district beat Jay Love by fewer than 1,800 votes (143,997 - 142,231)


• California's 4th district is still undecided, with Tom McClintock beating Charlie Brown (no, really) by only 450 votes (155,771 - 155,320)


• Walt Minnick became the Representative for Idaho's 1st district, beating Bill Sali (and thank the non-Christian god that Bill Sali so dreaded) by a little over 4000 votes (175,567 - 171,324)


• Maryland's 1st district is still undecided, with Frank Kratovil edging out Andy Harris by 900 votes (160,915 - 160,000)


• Eric Massa beat Randy Kuhl to become the Representative of district 29 for New York by around 4000 votes (131,646 - 127,232)


• Virginia's 5th district is still undecided, with Virgil Goode ahead of Tom Perriello by 350 votes (158,466 - 158,103)


• Washington's 8th district is also undecided, as Dave Reichert's lead over Darcy Burner is not even 1,500 votes (70,935 - 69,489)

Colorado's Amendment 46, which would forbid state government discrimination based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin, is still undecided with a margin of a little over 14,000 votes (990,156 - 975,898).

In 2004, Christine Gregoire beat Dino Rossi to become Washington's Governor by only 133 votes.

One vote would not have tipped the election in any of these cases, it is true. But how many people do you think didn't vote in these elections because they believed that their "one vote wouldn't make a difference"? Tens of thousands? Thousands? Only a few hundred? That still would've been enough to turn some of these elections

The only vote that doesn't matter is the one that isn't cast.