It’s a myth that your vote doesn’t matter. Despite the Electoral College ultimately electing the future president, every vote counts.

America is a representative democracy which means a Constitutional Federal Republic with three branches, where elected representatives make the laws, vote on laws, and pick the president. People also vote for elected officials and on some state-based ballot issues.

Basically the general election is an indirect popular vote of 538 electors. The population of a state dictates the amount of Electoral College votes per state. According to Quora, Illinois has 20 votes.

A candidate has to be elected with a total of 270 Electoral College votes or more in order to become president. The popular vote is an advisory vote; one meant to inform the state-based electors who to vote for directly in which most states use a “winner takes all” process. All the electors in that state vote in favor of the popular vote.

Although, according to Fact/Myth, the Constitution does not mandate the electors to vote on behalf of the people. In the event that no candidate gets a majority of electoral votes, the decision goes to the House of Representatives.

This means, a candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election anyway due to the electoral vote. If a third party takes enough electoral votes, thus depriving any candidate of the majority and causing the House to vote. Then a candidate can win both the electoral vote and popular vote and still lose.

So, does your vote really count? Well, it depends on how you look at it.

Even if you live in a state that swings one way or another, the ratio by which the candidates win or lose matters. A landslide win packs a powerful punch rather than one who barely squeaks by.

Your vote is your voice. If millions of people stay home because they think their votes don’t count, the people who do turn out to vote become much more powerful.

You live in a democracy. Voting is one of your most precious American rights.