Jamison Shoemaker

Jamison Shoemaker was an Indiana farmer whose single ballot began a remarkable chain of political events. Racing from his plow, Jamison reached the polls five minutes before closing and wrote his choice on a scrap of paper. His vote elected Madison Marsh by a margin of 218 to 217. Marsh later broke a three-way tie that sent Senator Harrigan to office. Harrigan then surprised everyone by casting the deciding Senate vote for Texas statehood. Jamison never controlled the later decisions, but his willingness to participate made each of them possible. His hurried homemade ballot becomes Whit's answer to the claim that one vote cannot matter. A small civic duty, faithfully completed, can shape events far beyond what the voter will ever see.