Vote, or forever hold your tongue

In less than 30 days, Americans will be asked to cast their ballots for the candidates and proposals of their choice. I am not here to write in support of any one candidate or proposal; however I am here to request that you exercise your right to vote.
I know you’ve heard this before, but this election is important. Republicans and Democrats couldn’t be more diametrically opposed in beliefs and how our country should move forward. Whether you are a progressive, conservative or somewhere in between, cast your ballot, please.
I think it is appalling that we will consider 50 percent or better of registered voters actually casting their ballots as a good turnout. For me, 80 or 90 percent of registered voters should place their ballot. It is up to us to inform ourselves about the issues and make intelligent, well thought out choices when voting. It is shirking our responsibility as a citizen to sit in our easy chair, complain about the way of the world, and then not vote.
I hear over and over, “My vote doesn’t matter, so why should I bother voting.” Or another common excuse is “So much cheating is going on, so my vote will never count.”
I’m here to tell you your vote does count. So many elections have been won by a single vote or two. Heck even the last presidential election was decided by 21,500 votes. That’s incredible considering nearly 50,000,000 people voted.
Personally, I recall my dads first election for township supervisor way back when. His winning margin was two votes. What if his opponent had found three more friends to vote. My dad’s political career would have been stopped before it was started. As it was, he went on to be an elected township and then county official for another 24 years.

In another matter, I must proclaim my distaste for negative political advertising. I know political pundits encourage this type of advertising because they claim it works, but I yearn for the days when a candidate would get elected based on their platform and accomplishments. I think if candidates and parties would emphasize their platform, we would lessen the vitriol that is so embedded in our political system now.
It takes a lot of guts these days to run for election. Candidates hire people and organizations to dig up dirt on their opponents and aren’t shy about using the supposed dirt in political ads. You must have a thick skin and clean past to be a candidate. I suppose that weeds out some of us, but unscrupulous candidates, particularly at the federal level, are not immune to making a big deal about the slightest transgressions their opponent might have committed in year’s past. That I find totally offensive.
More importantly qualifications matter. I implore you to study the candidates and issues and make informed decisions when voting. Most of all, make sure you get to the polls on November 8. Do your part to preserve our domocracy.