In a car race for example, with 12 cars, there is only one winner.  Do the efforts of the other cars and drivers count for nothing?  No of course not - they made up what constituted the race.  But there is only one winner. 

Politics where every fringe group gets a few "participation ribbons," AKA seats, is a recipe for disaster; a sordid mess of internecine fighting, back-biting, deception, coalitions and compromise . . . to the point that very little is done and that which is satisfies no one.  

Your contention that anyone who voted for a person or party that did not win cast a vote for nothing, is beyond logic.