Elections are essential to everyones way of life

I may have preached this sermon on more than one occasion, but exercising your right to vote is never unimportant.

Election season is here, and those seeking office are knocking on doors, speaking in public, lodging campaign signs into street corners right of way, and asking for your vote.

National, state-wide, and local elections consume vast attention, from political ads that stream while you play your favorite video game on your phone to the nightly news break. The message always seems the same: the other candidate is not suitable for you, so vote for me.

I do not care much for those types of advertisements, and I guess that is why the presidential race always seems to infuriate me. The mean spirit, never getting to any real point, just the bashing back and forth, is hard to swallow day in and day out. I prefer to tune all that noise out and focus on local elections that make a difference in my life.

Here’s what I mean: Let’s say you have a low water crossing on the only road to your home. This crossing floods regularly and has even left you stranded a time or two. Do you call your state representative to get this problem resolved? No, of course not. You call your local county commissioner and ask that the matter be corrected immediately.

That commissioner has a list of, let’s say, ten problem roads in his precinct (a general number) and has to make do with an annual budget. That commissioner is behind a rock and under a hard place. He wants to fix your road, but these decisions are made on priority, funding, and other considerations. It’s not an easy choice; after all, he doesn’t want you to be stranded, but he does have to work inside that budget and that priority list.

Since the buck stops with your commissioner, wouldn’t it seem prudent that you get to know all the candidates who want the job of fixing your road? Your day-to-day life is affected by local elections first and foremost.

I place the order of importance local elections far ahead of state and then national because, for the simple reason, local elections have a more significant impact on my dayto- day life. That is not to say that state and national elections are not necessary; they are; it’s just a matter of which would pass a law first that affects my family.

I care deeply about state issues and federal issues. Many controversial topics hit my political radar every day. The border crisis is currently top of my list on a state and federal level, but which elected official in Shelby County or Center will have anything to say or do with that issue?

The feral dog population of Center, also on top of my radar, is something our local officials can effect change. I also know that I can make a phone call to City Hall and talk with someone who will listen and take a minute to hear and understand my concerns. When I call my State Representative or Senator, I’m lucky to leave a voicemail. Have you ever tried to call the President? I have, and it’s a lot of fun.

The point is simple: take some time to get to know your candidates locally. These are often your friends, family, neighbors, and, if not yours, someone you know. We can hold them to their word, and if they don’t do the job to satisfaction, well, we can elect another neighbor to fill the vacancy.

Last Friday was the last day to register to vote in the March 5, 2024 Primary Election. Most of Shelby County’s local races will be decided in the Republican Primary, and all of the positions will be decided if we do not see a runoff election, which we could see in the Shelby County Sheriff race.

Early voting begins on Tuesday, February 20, and ends on Friday, March 1. So be sure to get to the polls.

ed. note: The Newspaper will continue with candidate biographies next week.