One vote has never changed anything, so you might as well just stay home on Election Day, right? Wait a minute. Not so fast. We’ve combed through the closest races of 2014, and we’re here to tell you that your vote does matter. Just take a look at these examples:
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Heads or tails? So far in 2014, not one but two judicial races have been decided by a coin toss. Yes, a coin toss. In May 2014, an exact tie between runoff primary candidates in Llano County, Texas resulted in a coin toss to determine the race’s victor. In July 2014, after two New Mexico magistrate judicial candidates each received exactly 2,879 votes, the winner was determined by a coin toss in a courthouse in Gallup, New Mexico.
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Embattled incumbent U.S. Congressman Scott DeJarlais recently eked out a Republican primary victory by just 38 votes. DeJarlais was not widely expected to win his primary after salacious details about his personal life became public. He’ll face Democrat Lenda Sherrell in the general election.
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The list of state legislative incumbents defeated in 2014 features a number of candidates who have lost by razor thin margins, including New Mexico State Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, who lost her Democratic primary by a mere 16 votes. Meanwhile, Maryland House of Delegates candidate Philip Parenti won his Republican primary by just 17 votes.
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In Shelby County, Texas, a judicial challenger for the Shelby County Court ousted an incumbent judge by just three votes out of 3,263 votes cast.
- In a race that’s still undecided, two Democratic Wisconsin State Senate candidates are currently separated by just two votes. Pat Bomhack and Ernie Wittmer are awaiting the results of a recount to determine who will face District 17’s incumbent State Senator Howard Marklein in November’s general election.
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