14 Close-Call Elections That Prove Voting Actually Matters

-Source-Buzzfeed- Sometimes an election comes down to a handful of votes...or a deck of cards? 1. C.P. Joshi vs. Kalyan Singh Chauhan: Decided by ONE vote. This Indian election has it all: Close calls a newcomer challenger and some fraud to add intrigue .2008 saw Indian politician and assumed frontrunner C. P. Joshi lose an assemblyman seat to challenger Kalyan Singh Chauhan who won by just one point. A later investigation would raise suspicions that Chauhan & his wife had actually voted twice. Final tally: 62216 vs. 62215 Final tally: 62216 vs. 62215 2) Shelly Simonds vs. David Yancey: Decided by a hat. Just last year Democrat Shelly Simonds and Republican David Yancey were locked in a tight battle for a seat in Virginia's House of Delegates which was split 50/50 between the two parties. After losing by 10 votes Simonds asked for a recount miraculously putting her ahead by one tiny but historic vote. Alas a Virginia Circuit Court ultimately decided that a crossed out previously uncounted ballot should go towards Yancey resulting in a tied race. (Usually confusing ballots are usually voided and the voter is granted a fresh ballot.) They settled the matter by drawing names from a bowl and Yancey won the seat giving Republicans control over the House. Final tally: 11608 vs. 11608 3) Mike Kelly vs. Karl Kassel: Decided by ONE vote. In 2008 Mike Kelly defeated Karl Kassel by 1 vote for the Alaskan State Assembly District 7 seat. Your Vote Matters! Republican Mike Kelly bested his Democratic challenger Karl Kassel in this 2008 Alaskan election. The two were neck and neck the whole race with Kelly winning 5000 votes and Kassel trailing behind with 4999 votes. After overseas votes were counted Kassel was still behind by just one vote. Talk about agonizing! Final tally: 5018 vs. 5017