You are correct that other offices matter and do not use the electoral college but the one office that does use it is exactly the one that we are discussing in

You are correct that other offices matter and do not use the electoral college but the one office that does use it is exactly the one that we are discussing in this thread (recall, it began with "thanks Jill Stein voters"). It's also the case that many other offices are intentionally gerrymandered (US House, state congress) to ensure voters' choices do not matter, whereas the presidency is gerrymandered by happenstance due to a compromise made centuries ago that is no longer relevant. And yes, opposition votes in deep red states or blue states are counted as cute protest votes much in the way votes for "Mickey Mouse" or "George Washington" or "Jill Stein" are. Votes in line with the state past 50% + 1 simply do not effect the final total or outcome of the election at all, they are thrown away, and what's important is that they never could assuming, e.g. California going blue is a foregone conclusion. Democrats have to do the bare minimum and show up to win California, and Republicans with Alabama, but voting for president doesn't really mean much in those states. We have a scheme were elections are extremely close most of the time, but as far as your vote is concerned it is with overwhelming probability literally thrown away and not counted towards that total. It essentially guarantees voter apathy.