Voting is where the rubber hits the road

Winston Churchill once said “If you want to know what is wrong with democracy try having a five minute discussion with a voter.” I would like to amend that quote by adding or “try having a discussion with a registered voter who actually votes.”

To me, voting is where the rubber hits the road, yet it is the most ignored right given to us in the Constitution. Why, I ask, is an action that is so impactful, takes only a few minutes, and is free, so completely ignored by most of our citizens? Iraq has more than an 80 percent voter turnout despite the terrorist threats of death if they vote. In Alaska the highest voter turnout was in the 2008 election, which was a little more than 70 percent, a record. Our primary on Aug. 28 had an astounding 25 percent turnout.

I think that I have heard about every reason for not voting that a person can think of. Short of being unconscious, or dead, I can’t think of a reason for not voting. In fact in some areas of the country dead people actually vote. But that is another issue. The one excuse for not voting that I hear most often is “my vote doesn’t count.” Well, if your vote doesn’t count why do politicians spend nearly 1 billion dollars trying to get your vote? Your vote counts for somebody.

When I walk into the voting booth and look at that ballot I am actually very relaxed. Nobody is looking over my shoulder. I am not going to be graded on my choices. And best of all, no one is going to know how I voted, (except my wife, and she generally cancels my vote anyway).

Voting is one area where our government really stands tall. They make is easy to register, and to vote. Take any excuse: Disabled (they will arrange transportation to the polls), leaving town for whatever reason (vote absentee, or vote early). There simply isn’t any acceptable reason why a registered voter would not vote.

Then again, if a person doesn’t want to do something, any excuse will do. The fact is that voting decides what kind of government we are going to have. So far, according to voter turnout, the minority of voters decide who is going to represent us in Juneau, and in Washington, D.C. Is that how you really want the great issues of our times to be determined? I would think that the average American regardless of education, or station in life, would savor the power of their vote.

One last point is that the local elections, for mayor, city council, borough assembly, etc. actually have more influence on us than the national elections. It’s our local politicians who set tax rates, and decide how our educational system will work, road improvements and every thing else that influences our day-to-day living.

Don’t let anyone convince you that your vote doesn’t count. It counts. Please vote Nov. 6.

Bob Lewis

Wasilla