Let's get out the Vote

This week in MY FRIDAY COLUMN I tackle one of the most important  rights that our fore fathers bestowed upon as that statistically very few people take advantage of.

LET'S GET OUT THE VOTE


The signs have been out there ever since January.  While the mail box hasn’t been overflowing like in years past, I still have gotten a few mailers.  The newspaper has been filled with display ads from candidates and the letters to the editor have been hyping the candidates.  It is election time again in Southern Indiana.


Every election year I have high hopes.  I feel that the people will do what is right and elect the people that can lead this community into the future.  The only problem is that the  lack of participation is overwhelming. Not enough people actually go to the polls and vote on election day which means that sometimes the best candidates don’t even make it to the General Election.  So many people are out there complaining about the way things are, but so few people take the time and vote.


Things get even worse this year when it is only the municipal elections on the ballot.  Presidential election years are by far the most popular for people to vote in.  Nationally  about 56% of those of voting age turnout for a national election.  That number drops to under 40% in off year election when we elect Members of the House and Senate.  In Indiana, when only the election for city officials is on the ballot it is even worse than that.  Four years ago in Floyd County less than 4700 came out to vote in the primary when more than 28,000 were eligible.

In last year’s primary election less than 18% of voters turned out locally for the election.  That was when everyone seemed to be up in arms about the direction the country was headed.  In November their was historic turnover in the US House of Representatives, but a relatively few people actually took the time to vote.   


It would seem to me that more people should come out to vote in the election for city officials.  The Mayor and members of the city council have  more control over our day to day lives than the President or members of Congress.   How clean our neighborhoods are, how prepared our police and fire departments are and whether or not our garbage gets picked up are all functions of city government.  So why do so many people stay home on election day?


I have heard that some people don’t vote because they believe their vote doesn’t matter.  After some very close calls in recent elections it is hard to believe that someone could think that.  The results of the 2000 Presidential election would have been different with a change of just less than one vote per precinct in the state of Florida.


The problems with the 2000 Presidential election in Florida may also turn people off.  It may never be known how many people’s votes were not  counted or were counted wrong during the “hanging chad” debacle.  Hopefully, the problems that were uncovered with that method of voting have been fixed across the country so we will never have to go through that kind of a recount ever again.


Some people have complained and say they don’t vote because there are no good candidates running.  Sometimes you will be forced to choose between candidates that you believe may be “dogs”.  In that case you just have to pick the ones with the fewest fleas.  You will never find a candidate a candidate that you agree with on every issue, you just need to find the one the you agree with on important issues and choose that one.  If you are waiting  for the perfect candidate that agrees with you all the time then it is probably time for you to run for public office. 

It always surprises me when you hear that elections can actually be swayed by the weather.  The conventional wisdom says that a rainy day is good for incumbents.  It is disappointing that people would actually not go out to vote because a little rain is falling.  The polls are open for twelve hours here in Indiana and it probably will not rain hard for that whole time (knock on wood).  If it does happen to rain, suck it up, buy an umbrella and some galoshes and get out there and vote.


Everybody that puts his name out there and attempts to run for public office deserves our respect.  It is a very hard thing to do to put yourself out there for examination and I wish that more of our best and brightest would do it.  The least we can do is understand the issues and make an informed decision on election day.  I hope that everyone who is able will do their civic duty next Tuesday and take a few minutes to vote.