“I am only me; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do.” — Edward Everett Hale (author, historian and Unitarian minister)
Recently a national media outlet published an article based on their reporter’s conversations with customers at Crockett’s Lodge in Star City. The reporter stated 12 out of the 15 patrons he spoke to said they will not be voting in the upcoming election. Comments included “What’s the point” and “They are all criminals on both sides,” to “It makes no difference, I live in West Virginia.”
Setting aside the issue of how such shoddy journalism ends up being national “news,” it’s disappointing that any of our neighbors are simply choosing to abdicate their power in such a fashion. In virtually every election cycle, some races are decided by only a few votes. In other words, your vote does matter.
Typically, it is presidential elections that seem to take up all the oxygen and turn off voters. Yet, there are so many other reasons to participate in elections, from local to state to federal. For our government to be of the people, by the people and for the people, we must use our vote because that’s our voice. We must not be silent.
Politicians should be reminded that they are there to represent the constituents who sent them to serve. We want our city council and county commission to represent our shared values; we need our state representatives to protect West Virginians from national special interest groups that would impose their will on us; we need our U.S. senators and representatives to understand that compromise is how government work gets done, and poison pills tacked onto good bills accomplish nothing but stalemate.
To make our government work for the taxpayers who fund it, use the power of the information age to find out where your representatives stand. Focus on their voting records on the issues you find important. There are a multitude of reliable ways to get this information and cut through the propaganda and selective messaging of campaign commercials and flyers.
Reliable websites include Ballotpedia.org, VOTE411.org and the Legislative Scorecard compiled by the League of Women Voters (at lwvwv.org). The West Virginia Legislature has a website (wvlegislature.gov) that shows every bill introduced, what committee worked on it or killed it and any roll call vote taken on it. Use the secretary of state’s website to learn what individuals or organizations are funding each campaign.
Voting becomes much less complicated when you check out the voting history of your representative. When LWV-WV released the first scorecard, one user reached out to tell us that everything their legislative candidate had said to win their vote turned out to be exactly the opposite of how he voted once elected. That unhappy constituent had become better informed.
Voting is even more important in today’s polarized world, where issues that we would not have given a thought to previously now separate us. Your vote and participation in democracy can drive the conversation and advancement of your community, your state and on Capitol Hill — not the opposite. Voting is how we demand representation from the politicians who seek office. West Virginia has a history of fighting against the odds. Don’t be silent now.
Epilogue:
By now, we all know that change is coming to The Dominion Post. But none of us knows exactly what that change will look like. Since July 2023, The Dominion Post has given the League space for this monthly column to communicate our nonpartisan views on topics of our choosing. We appreciate their generosity in service to this community and have taken every opportunity to let the public know this. We hope to continue.
