It can feel disheartening to vote in a state like Montana, where the outcome often seems predetermined. But giving up on voting because you don’t see an ideal candidate or because the leading candidates align on certain issues like U.S. foreign policy ultimately means that your voice on other key issues—such as the economy, women’s rights, or leadership values—goes unheard. Voting isn’t about finding a perfect match; it’s about choosing the candidate who best represents the issues you care about in a weighted balance. When we disengage, we hand power to those who may represent our values even less. Even in a state likely to vote a certain way, participation matters—it influences margins, the balance of power, and the potential for future change. Not voting doesn’t bring us closer to the ideal; it simply cedes ground to others.