‘My Vote Doesn’t Count’ and 4 Other Dangerous Voting Myths You Need to Stop Believing

Chances are someone in your circle said they skip Election Day because their “vote doesn’t count”—or you’ve said it yourself. But that’s a dangerous lie. Every vote carries weight. So much so, research from the Center for American Progress shows more than 340 state office elections were decided by fewer than 500 votes in 2016 alone, with more than 85 decided by fewer than 100. Ahead of the midterm elections next week, The Root is fact-checking the biggest voting myths still floating around your timeline.

Myth #1: “Mail-in and absentee ballots aren’t safe or get thrown out.”

Voting away from home is easier than ever, whether you request an absentee ballot (because you’re away at college, traveling, or unable to reach the polls) or live in a state with universal mail-in voting (where a ballot is automatically sent to every registered voter). Yet a common myth persists: that election workers routinely toss these paper ballots in the trash or alter your votes. That’s simply not true.

Thanks to barcoded tracking envelopes and unique serial numbers, paper ballots leave a clear trail. In fact, voters in almost every state can track their ballot online from the moment it leaves their hands to the second it’s officially counted.

Myth #2: “My vote doesn’t count.”

Perhaps the most widespread myth of all is believing your single vote doesn’t count. But ask yourself: if your voice didn’t carry power, why would critics spend so much time trying to suppress it? Every vote matters.

According to data from Ballotpedia, nearly 700 local elections were decided by 10 or fewer votes—with 394 settled by fewer than five, and 94 determined by a single vote. If you need more proof, look no further than Hortonville, Wisconsin, where a tied Village Board election earlier this year had to be decided by a literal coin toss.

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Myth #3: “You can’t bring your phone into the voting booth.”

The idea that bringing a smartphone into the voting booth is strictly illegal is a common myth used to intimidate voters. Vote.org—the largest nonpartisan nonprofit in America dedicated to increasing voter participation—encourages voters to “bring your phone when you vote.” As reported by NBC 5 Chicago, phones are allowed in the voting booth, but it depends on what you’re using them for.

While rules around taking photos or ballot selfies vary by state (check your state’s rules about ballot selfies here), bringing your phone to quickly look up candidates or double-check community issues is widely protected as a voter’s right. As long as you aren’t making calls or recording others, your phone is one of the most powerful tools you can take into the booth.

Myth #4: “A past conviction means you are permanently banned from voting.”

Don’t assume a criminal record automatically locks you out of the voting booth permanently. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, millions of people with past felony convictions have their voting rights fully restored depending on state law and the details of your sentence. The key is knowing where your state stands.

Because registering to vote before your rights are officially restored can result in criminal prosecution, checking the Department of Justice’s state-by-state guide is a crucial first step.

Myth #5: “I prefer paper ballots because digital voting machines can be hacked.”

Contrary to viral conspiracies, voting machines are under constant lock and key. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, election equipment undergoes rigorous testing and certification to federal and state security standards long before any voter steps into the booth.

Even after elections, the National Conference of State Legislatures announced machines are audited again to confirm that they correctly counted ballots and produced an accurate total—setting the record straight against years of online misinformation about hacked voting equipment.