As you consider for whom to vote in the primary election, conventional wisdom might suggest you vote a certain way.

“You have to vote for her. She’s the only one who can win.”

“You’re wasting your vote. She’ll never get the nomination.”

“He’s great, but the South will never let him win.”

Some of the things you hear might be true, but no one knows for sure. Recent elections have taught us that even experts cannot predict outcomes accurately.

If you believe your favorite candidate cannot win, you might feel that your vote doesn’t matter. Maybe you ignore your preferences and vote based on conventional wisdom. If enough other people with your same beliefs do the same, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The only way we can make or inspire change is through our actions. If enough people ignore conventional wisdom and vote based on their beliefs, surprising things can happen. Whether that’s good or bad is yet to be seen.

Do you vote by party loyalty, with your head, your heart or something else?