By Jon Ward

Last week I was proud to go to the polls and cast my vote for the candidates I thought would do a good job representing our best interests in Washington. I was, however, a bit surprised when I walked thorough the door at the polling center. There before me stood just one voting booth. Where were all the other voting booths, I wondered. It’s a sad commentary that the voter registrar can anticipate such a low turnout.

Every time we have an election, unless I am detained by work or out of town, I can’t wait to go to the polls and cast my vote. I would never want to be the person that could have made a difference, but chose instead to stay home and not go through the “hassle” of voting.

I understand that only 268 people from my precinct actually voted. Once you understand that there are 1,834 registered voters, it brings back the reality of just how few people actually took the time to go vote (just under 15 percent).

I can turn on a television and watch people around the world fight for the opportunity to vote. They want to have a voice in making a change (whether good or bad) for their countries. It makes me wonder how we have come to believe our voices don’t matter anymore.

Every voice matters! Every voice has the potential to make a difference. We live in a country where we have a right to vote for whomever we see fit for a given position. Why not make that right count? Show some respect for your country. Show some respect for all the sacrifices made to give you that right. Do your duty and vote.

You could have been born in another nation that does not allow the same freedoms we are able to have. You could be just as oppressed as people in those nations are. You could be in the same turmoil that several of them are currently in.

Take the time to get to know what the candidates represent, and go vote. November is not far off, and while I expect to see an increase in the number of voters turning out, it will most likely still fall short of the number of folks who can make a difference if they will simply take the time to cast their votes.

Most important, if you do not vote, please do not complain about the outcome of the election.