Sometimes, It Only Takes One

by Christana Tucker

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” These words, possibly the best-known words of our Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, became the bedrock of a new country’s ideals. He is considered to be one of the seven principle

founding fathers of our country, along with George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. And yet, Thomas Jefferson was only elected our third president by one deciding vote! Practice makes perfect, and success is achieved through long hours of working towards excellence. Sufficient time and research should be given to voting decisions, but one person’s vote, one time, can make a big difference!

Although the urban legend claiming America’s official language was one vote away from being German has been debunked, the same man it refers to, Speaker Muhlenberg, cast the single, tie-breaking vote to ratify the Jay Treaty. Although it was unpopular at the time, many credit the 1795 treaty with allowing our new country to develop, rather than fighting again with England. Other key national decisions were decided by just a few votes, sometimes just one! These include: Andrew Jackson’s loss to John Quincy Adams, Texas’ 1845 annexation, President Polk’s declaration of War with Mexico, the 1967 Alaska purchase, and many more! The 1962 governor’s races in three states were each decided by an average of one vote per precinct! Many people do not realize that local elections may be even more important, since local statutes, zoning, and taxes strongly affect our daily lives. Many local votes have also been decided by a narrow margin. The recent Bradley County Tax increase, Gary Davis’ election, and Dan Rawls’ County Commission 2014 election were decided by a very few votes. In 2012, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported a final decision for Nick Lillios, for school board, by just two votes! The State of Tennessee reported that, for the position of District Attorney, only 12,000 people in Bradley County voted in the Republican primary in May of 2022. With a reported population of 107,000 and 76.8% voting Republican, that means an estimated 70,000 Republicans did not exercise their right to influence local government this May! As George Jean Nathan said, “Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

In November, citizens once again have the opportunity to make an impact in local, state, and national government. A local voter’s guide for Bradley County Elections—to help evaluate past voting behavior and positions—is available at Bradleyvoterguide.com. We Americans pride ourselves on being a representative democracy, as Abraham Lincoln claimed in the Gettysburg Address, “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Take a little time, and be that one vote that changes the future!