--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who vote decide nothing. Those who…" description: "\"Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.\" — Joseph Stalin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/joseph-stalin-1734_inspiring_those-who-vote-decide-nothing-those-who_2253178.jpg" --- # Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote… ![“Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/joseph-stalin-1734_inspiring_those-who-vote-decide-nothing-those-who_2253178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/joseph-stalin-1734_inspiring_those-who-vote-decide-nothing-those-who_2253178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/joseph-stalin-1734_inspiring_those-who-vote-decide-nothing-those-who_2253178.jpg) > “Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.” [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political power lies with those who control vote counting, not merely those who vote **In simple terms:** Control of vote tally decides outcomes Key Takeaway Beware of power structures that manipulate outcomes Themes politics power democracy Mood critical serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - election monitoring - civic education - policy advocacy - journalism Key Concepts electoral integrity authoritarianism political manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How can transparent counting be ensured? - What safeguards protect voter intent? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on counting can ignore voter disenfranchisement ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Count Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/count-vote-1689654/) [Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) [Decide Count](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-count-5154488/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-decide-5154487/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) ## Related quotes > [If we really mean that people's votes are to be counted, the timelines ought to exist around what it takes to count every vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gillum/if-we-really-mean-that-people-s-votes-are-to-be-counted-the-timelines/) [Andrew Gillum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-gillum/) > [The vote gives us the power to hire or fire governments. 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I tell them that they have the vote, and that theirs is the kingdom and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-talk-democracy-to-these-men-and-women-i-tell-them-that-they-have/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Who would vote for an incompetent President?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/who-would-vote-for-an-incompetent-president/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [A thing that troubles me is party alliances. A party has a certain ideology and we vote according to that. 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He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Joseph Stalin > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [There is no nation in the whole world desiring war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/there-is-no-nation-in-the-whole-world-desiring-war/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Our Red Army now needs IL-2 aircraft like the air it breathes, like the bread it eats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/our-red-army-now-needs-il-2-aircraft-like-the-air-it-breathes-like/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [If things should go too far and deportation of all whiteguard emigres from the United States were demanded, this would be an attempt against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/if-things-should-go-too-far-and-deportation-of-all-whiteguard-emigres/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [We think that a powerful and vigorous movement is impossible without differences - "true conformity" is possible only in the cemetery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/we-think-that-a-powerful-and-vigorous-movement-is-impossible-without/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [ \[American Communist Party\] legally exists in the U.S.A., it nominates its candidates in the elections, including Presidential elections. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/american-communist-party-legally-exists-in-the-u-s-a-it-nominates-its/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [“Gratitude is an illness suffered by dogs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/gratitude-is-an-illness-suffered-by-dogs/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [A man's eyes should be torn out if he can only see the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/a-man-s-eyes-should-be-torn-out-if-he-can-only-see-the-past/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/one-death-is-a-tragedy-a-million-is-a-statistic/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/education-is-a-weapon-whose-effect-depends-on-who-holds-it-in-his/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [To slacken the tempo...would mean falling behind. And those who fall behind get beaten...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/to-slacken-the-tempo-would-mean-falling-behind-and-those-who-fall/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [You do not lament the loss of hair of one who has been beheaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/you-do-not-lament-the-loss-of-hair-of-one-who-has-been-beheaded/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [The Red Army and Navy and the whole Soviet people must fight for every inch of Soviet soil, fight to the last drop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/the-red-army-and-navy-and-the-whole-soviet-people-must-fight-for/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [ I admit that I do not recall the speeches of Comrades \[Earl\] Browder and \[Samuel\] Darcy. I do not even recall of what they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/i-admit-that-i-do-not-recall-the-speeches-of-comrades-earl-browder/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [He who casts a vote decides nothing. He who counts the vote decides everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/he-who-casts-a-vote-decides-nothing-he-who-counts-the-vote-decides/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) [Explore all 208 Joseph Stalin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) ## More Decide quotes > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [LOOK before you pick,DECIDE WELL before you choose,because these two things are very important in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/look-before-you-pick-decide-well-before-you-choose-because-these-two/) [Oluwatayo Oluwatoyosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/) > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? 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