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It is only that simple if your individual vote will determine the election. Even if your individual vote detemined the state in which you are voting, your choice would only matter if the electoral college were close enough for the state to make the difference.
True, certainly, however keep Florida 2000 in mind, here.

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I think Florida actually strengthens my case in showing (1) that if it is statistically a tie, the lawyers and judges will actually be the determening factor and (2) the odds of it coming down in paper to one vote breaking a tie in a state are very very samll if Florida is the best example we have.

Of course, my FRiend, your RYAN vote will only count if you vote for both of them.

That depends on how good Willard’s lawyers are and how the judges are disposed. As one is technically voting for electors rather than for the candidates directly, there is a very good case to be made that I want the electors pledged to Ryan to be chosen, and that I would like Willard to drop dead (after making peace with his Maker, of course). In the least, it would be very entertaining.
Of course, if this vote is the crucial one, and it ends up being thrown out, the result is either slipping into a tie, or slipping out of a tie. Odds of this....

(Last go-round I voted for William Howard Taft and Sarah Palin, on the theory that if McCain wanted to be the second coming of Theodore Roosevelt, Taft was a solid pick; this time I am inclined to vote Coolidge-Ryan. I am all in favour of a governor from Mass. who understands the economy).

I think Florida actually strengthens my case in showing (1) that if it is statistically a tie, the lawyers and judges will actually be the determening factor and (2) the odds of it coming down in paper to one vote breaking a tie in a state are very very samll if Florida is the best example we have.

Actually, you are wrong. Every single one of Ralph Nader's votes came at the expense of Al Gore - and those 97,4880 wasted votes cost Gore the presidency. My $100 donation to Nader 2000 helped to dupe enough green socialists into abandoning the only candidate that had a chance of advancing their goals - Al Gore. Now many Conservatives are falling for the same trick by the Democrats.