I have never had a vote, and I have raised hell all over this country. You don't need a vote to raise hell! You need convictions and a voice!
It's perseverance that's the key. It's persevering for long enough to achieve your potential.
The difference is slight, to the influence of an author, whether he is read by 500 readers, or by five hundred thousand; if he can select the 500, he reaches the five hundred thousand.