Empowerment and control through the ballot

I noticed something today. In talking with a few politically unaffiliated voters, I got the sense that they felt empowered by and proud of the results. They felt like their votes mattered and that they were actually able to hold people accountable and make change through the polls. Republicans just happened to be the ones in power. I can't help but wonder if part, just part, of Tuesday's results were born of some voters trying to assert control over a world that feels pretty uncontrollable lately.