My Voice Was Heard Today

This morning, I did something I've never done before in my life. I voted at a polling station. While I've voted in most Presidential elections (I think I might have missed one; specifically, I don't remember voting in the 1988 election), due to my military service, every time I've voted, it's been an absentee ballot. So today was a new experience for me.

It was especially a new experience because I felt I had a stake in local issues. I was a Georgia resident for over 30 years; however, for the last 23 years, I have not lived in Georgia. Every ballot I voted via absentee included some issue for the local community. While my vote on those issues was counted, the outcome of the vote would not have an effect on me personally. I remember one of the issues was about raising the local sales tax one cent to fund some item. I do not remember my vote - including even if I voted on those issues; however, my vote and the outcome did not have an effect on me personally since I did not live nor shop in the local community. Today I voted on issues that affect the community I in which I currently live.

Today's election is a primary election. Included with each party's candidates running to represent their party in the November elections are several local elections and several local issues. Voter turnout is expected to be less than a November election because many people seem to not to vote during the primary elections. To me that is sad. There are several initiatives on the ballot which will affect everyone in the state, and because this is a primary election, some people are not going to vote because, hey, it's just a primary election.

These people who do not vote are allowing those of who do vote to affect their lives. Think about that. I voted today on several issues which will have an outcome on how the state I live in conducts business. The people who do not vote are allowing my vote to decide the issue without their thoughts or feelings or voice to be heard. I can understand someone not caring about who wins an election but when an issue can affect the pocketbook of the community, would not everyone who would be affected by the vote outcome want to vote in the issue?

Having a voice in issues that could affect you is a right which should be exercised at every opportunity. My vote in local issues did not really count before as my vote did not affect me. My vote counted today for me. Today my voice was heard.

Mike