The big day is finally here. Today, Nov. 4, voters will head to the polls for municipal elections.
If you haven’t voted already during the early voting period, which ended on Saturday at 3 p.m., please make sure you head to your local polling place today before 7:30 p.m. to make your voice heard.
Elections for town boards and mayors will be held in Autryville, Clinton, Garland, Harrells, Newton Grove, Salemburg and Turkey. It’s important to note that this election is for municipal offices only — meaning that you must live within the limits of a municipality to vote. That translates to typically low turnout, but as we’ve stated in this editorial space many times, it is arguably one of the most important votes when it comes to the impact it will have on your daily life.
Town boards make the decisions on issues such as zoning, property taxes, water and sewer rates, and local ordinances, which affect the bills you pay and the services and products your town has available. Town boards decide whether or not to let a business or industry locate in your town. They decide if your water and sewer rates should go up; what days your trash is picked up.
It’s government at its most local level, and therefore, of the utmost importance.
Many of our forebears fought and suffered, and some even died, so that we could all have the right to vote for the people that lead us. It’s a relatively new development that all people are eligible to cast a vote in the United States.
It was as late as 1870 when the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed, preventing states from denying the right to vote on grounds of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Even after that, many women could not vote. That right was only granted nationwide in 1920, a little more than 100 years ago, with the passage of the 19th amendment. However, there were still many minorities — both men and women — who did not have voting rights.
All Native Americans were granted citizenship and the right to vote through the Indian Citizenship Act in 1925, regardless of tribal affiliation, although some western states continued to bar Native Americans from voting until 1957.
It wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that all American citizens were granted the right to vote. That’s just 60 years ago. And there are still those who are threatened with being unable to vote, such as those who have been incarcerated or convicted of a felony.
And so, the fight for equality in elections rages on. If you think your voice doesn’t matter, and therefore you shouldn’t bother to cast your vote, think of all of your ancestors who fought for the ability to make that decision. Remember those who were beaten or tortured simply for wanting to be able to have a say in their government.
It is a precious right, one that we pray will never be taken away from the American people.
So again, please vote today, if you haven’t already. Your future — and those of your children and grandchildren — depend on it.