Journal: US election day

Today, I leave work early so I can drive the 63-mile commute to my polling place in Blanco County, Texas. Not a single county position is opposed, so unless I (and 4000 of my closest friends) write in someone's name, the outcome of every local race is predetermined.
Why then am I voting? For the state and federal races, mostly. I want to believe that I can still make a difference.