Your Vote Does Count!

Don't Ever Think Your Vote Doesn't Count, Because in...

1645 ONE vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England.

1649 ONE vote caused Charles I of England to be executed.

1776 ONE vote gave America the English language instead of German.

1800 Thomas Jefferson was elected president by only ONE vote in the electoral collage over Aaron Burr.

1839 ONE vote elected Marcus Morton Governor of Massachusetts.

1845 ONE vote brought Texas into the Union.

1868 ONE vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.

1876 ONE vote gave Rutherford Hayes the Presidency of the United States and ... ONE vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.

1923 ONE vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi party.

1939 ONE vote passed the selective service act.

1948 ONE vote per precinct in California gave Harry Truman the presidency.

1960 ONE vote per precinct elected John F. Kennedy President of the U.S.

1978 In Fullerton, California a Democratic candidate for the State of California's legislature lost by TEN votes in a primary election where 32,000 votes were cast.

And in Alaska...

1978 Jay Hammond won the nomination for Governor over Walter Hickel in the Primary Election by just 98 votes statewide. Thaf s less than 1/4 VOTE per precinct.

1978 ONE vote elected Tim Kelly to his Senate seat in District F.

1982 TWO votes gave the nomination for State Senator in District J to David McCracken in the Primary Election.

1984 ONE vote gave Mary Ratcliff the nomination for State Representative, House District 12 in the Primary Election.

1986 SEVENTEEN votes (less than ONE vote per precinct) elected Rick Uehiing Senator for District H, Seat B, out of the 14,389 votes cast.

1988 SIX votes elected David Finkelstein to State Representative District 13, Seat A. Less than ONE vote per precinct.

1990 TEN votes elected Terry Martin to State Representative District 13, Seat B. Just ONE vote per precinct.

1990 Four contests in the General Election were decided by a margin of less than ONE PERCENT of the votes cast in each contest.

Why should I get involved?

Alaska has some of the highest rates of suicide, interpersonal and domestic violence, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and unemployment rates. Although these issues do not translate into diagnosable mental illnesses they do contribute to increasing demands on Alaska's mental health delivery system.

Alaska is characterized by a wide disparity in incomes with the highest concentration of millionaires in the nation, as well as, more than one in five people living below the poverty level. The unemployment rate is above the national average characterized by seasonal labor. Unemployment in rural areas varies dramatically from winter to summer and from one region to another. In the Interior, unemployment approaches 20% in the winter months.

Child abuse and neglect reports are increasing at an alarming rate. The number of reports of child abuse and neglect in Alaska increased at a rate of 12% per year while the growth in Alaska's child population was 3% for 1992. Increases in the total number of reports have been accompanied by increases in the severity and complexity of these cases. Over 70% of the families served by the Division of Family & Youth Services are families at high risk requiring more intense levels of contact and support. Over 1,300 children and youth are now in foster or residential care at any given point in time.

Widespread alcohol and drug abuse have a devastating impact on children, families and entire communities across Alaska. Data suggests that there may be more than 37,000 or approximately 1 in 16 Alaskans who experience alcohol problems.

As children comprise 30% of Alaska's total population, it is startling to note that 1 1 % of Alaskan families are headed by one parent of which 20% are below the poverty line. Increases in the numbers of parents working outside the home and large increases over the generation in children living with only one parent have ongoing implications, especially since Alaskan birth and divorce rates continue to be among the highest in the nation.

In other words, Mental Health is Important to Everybody! Your decision to join the Building Bridges Campaign as an advocate for change can make a difference in the long run.