B. In the 2000 U.S. presidential election, George W. Bush defeated Al Gore by 537 votes in Florida, and with those 537 votes won the election.

a. The close margin in the 2000 election is often cited by politicians as evidence that you should

“not believe your vote does not matter.” I would argue that it shows the opposite: Even in close elections, it is almost never the case that one vote counts. What do you think?

b. Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate, received nearly 100,000 votes in Florida in the 2000 presidential election. Many believe that had Ralph Nader’s name not been on the ballot, Al Gore would have won Florida, and with it the presidency. If so, which one of Arrow’s axioms does this suggest is violated by the way the United States elects presidents? Explain.