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Why Your Vote Doesn't Count

CGP Grey · explainer · Watch on YouTube

US politics & electionsProbability & game theory

What it is

CGP Grey explains first-past-the-post voting and why it pushes elections toward two dominant parties. It is the first in his series on electoral systems.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN's go-to explainer for why FPTP leads to a two-party system, linked in countless voting-reform and US politics threads.

  • 10 people recommended it
  • 10 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2015, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “I highly recommend the following CGP Grey video for further detail about the problems of First Past the Post voting”

    Detailed problems with First Past the Post voting

    polymatter, 2015-04 · Strong recommendation · in “Massive, Illicit Bust of Edward Snowden Stuck to a War Monument in Brooklyn”

  2. “C.G.P. Grey has an entire series on why our voting system forces a two-party system.”

    CGP Grey on why voting forces two parties

    Quanticles, 2015-01 · Recommendation · in “EFF Wins Battle Over Secret Legal Opinions on Government Spying”

  3. “I've always found this video a good explanation of the problems of our voting system”

    Good explanation of the voting system's problems

    npizzolato, 2015-11 · Recommendation · in “Lessig Ends Presidential Campaign”

  4. “this CGP Grey video explains how a first-past-the-post voting system all-but-guarantees a two party system to emerge over time”

    Explains how first-past-the-post yields two parties

    nunyabuizness, 2016-03 · Recommendation · in “The New Mind Control – The internet has spawned subtle forms of influence”

  5. “Here is a cutesy video for those new to FPTP voting issues”

    Accessible intro to FPTP voting issues for newcomers.

    Faark, 2019-01 · Recommendation · in “Brexit Deal Fails in Parliament”

  6. “Check out this video, it helps explain why diversity of thought has little to do with the number of political parties that form in a system.”

    Explains why party count depends on voting system, not diversity of thought.

    viklove, 2021-04 · Recommendation · in “Ted Chiang: Fears of Technology Are Fears of Capitalism”

  7. “I like CGP Grey on this issue.”

    Commenter agrees with the video on voting methods.

    reedjosh, 2021-05 · Recommendation · in “Italian seaside residents hit with bygone feudal tax”

  8. “Of course, everyone already knows CGP Grey's videos, right?”

    Points to CGP Grey's whole voting video set.

    paretoman, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “What is ranked-choice voting and why is New York using it?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: first past the post, two-party system, electoral reform, democracy, cgp grey

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