Have you ever approached elections that take place on a busy day with the attitude that your vote is just one in millions and make no difference in the larger scheme of things, so rather than be rushed to pick up the kids or faced with having to reschedule a showing so that you can vote you'll just skip voting this time?  I am an avid political junkie and even I will admit that there have been times that I felt that way.

Well, I won't go into who I supported in yesterday's Texas Primacaucus, but I would like to share a quick experience with you.  I voted in the primary and had a painless 10 minute from sign-in to walk out experience and then returned to my polling station last night at 7:00 for the caucus component of the process.  Another friend who lives in my precinct and who supports the same candidate as I do was supposed to go with me but got tied up with a client and said "It's no big deal, there will be many people there and it's not like my one vote will decide anything. (Have you guessed where this story is going yet?) 

In my precinct there were 47 caucus participants and 5 local convention delegates to elect.  The vote between the caucus participants was 23 to 24 in favor of the candidate who I was not supporting.  The absence of my friend's one vote did make a difference.  The delegate split was 3 for one candidate's supporters and 2 for the other... the power of that ONE vote made a difference of one elected delegate to the local convention.

Was this really the end of the world?  In truth, no, but it could have been.  The reality of the world we live in is one where every incremental vote can trigger downline actions/repercussions if we do not harness the power of each of our individual votes.  Remember Florida in the 2000 presidential election?  Remember all those stories of vote differences between candidates of 100 votes in Florida counties with 100's of thousands of voters?

We will all have the opportunity to vote again later this year.  Please remember and respect the power of your one vote.  Please use it carefully and use it wisely, but whatever you do, don't throw it away... it's powerful!