Election Reflections: Get Ready to Vote

Voting is an important right and privilege in the United States of America. Although voting is not mandatory, I believe there is a moral obligation to participate in elections at all levels of government, from local to national.

The USA voting age population turnout lags many other countries. In the 2020 national elections, the 62.8% turnout in the U.S. ranked 31 out of 49 compared to national elections in member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Pew Research).

People offer a variety of excuses for not participating in the election process, including:

• I did not register in time.
• I work on Tuesday.
• I can’t get to the polls.
• I don’t like any of the candidates.
• My vote doesn’t matter.

Recent elections have underscored the fact that every vote matters.

With a little planning most of these obstacles can be overcome. Laws have changed to provide alternate means for registering and for casting a ballot. Community organizations work to provide transportation to the polls.

It may be too late to get candidates you like on the ballot for the 2023 election, but it is not too soon to begin preparations for the elections of 2024. Perhaps you can become a candidate or work to support others who you believe will provide the quality of representation your community and country deserve.

Vote.gov is a government website which addresses how to register and answers questions about the election process. This is a challenge to each of us to help spread the message of the importance of voting.

It is not illegal to choose not to vote, but it represents a moral failure to those who have given their lives to secure and protect the right to vote.

Let’s be ready to vote!