People will anyway. They’ll complain about every level of government and the people in office, but when it comes to enacting change through our precious right to vote, they’re a no-show.
And it’s frankly puzzling.
In 2024, about 65 percent of adults old enough to vote in the United States were registered to do so, and only about half – or less – showed up on election day in most areas of the country. In Ohio County, only 8,402 votes were cast and there were 28,102 registered voters.
That’s 29.9 percent, and that’s embarrassing.
But guess what percentage of residents in Ohio County – and every other county in every other state – complain about gas prices, healthcare, potholes, water main breaks, school systems, and everything else that’s government’s responsibility. That’s right, 100 percent, and that’s to be expected because things break, mistakes are made, priorities change, and, unfortunately, some people lie and cheat.
That’s where voting comes into play, and it’s a sure bet that every ballot cast does matter since we’ve seen many local races settled by 10 or fewer votes. And besides, it’s a constitutional right that more than a million American military members have died to preserve, and every time a citizen fails to exercise that right, it’s a show of disrespect toward their ultimate sacrifice.
That may sound harsh, but it’s true.
Here’s the good news – it’s not too late to participate this time around. Election Day is scheduled for November 3rd, and the deadline to register is this Tuesday. It’s as easy as visiting the Secretary of State’s Office website or visiting the folks in charge of elections in your respective county.
You can choose the party you want to join, you can check out your sample ballot, and you can become part of the solution instead of remaining part of one of the biggest problems we have in our country right now.
It’s about change. Not demanding it. Enacting it.
REGISTER IN WEST VIRGINIA
https://ovr.sos.wv.gov/Register/Landing
REGISTER IN OHIO
