It wasn’t easy and took me a long time, involving research, weighing truths, reading original documents, and tuning out what’s being said in ads and social media (NOT good sources!). Then going through and carefully marking bubbles to be sure I didn’t make a mistake. But I got through it and dropped my ballot into the mail this morning.
“It’s only a Primary Election,” I hear people say. “I won’t bother until the REAL election in November.”
What those people are overlooking is that the Primaries are at least as important, maybe even more so. Partly because they include state/city offices/issues (who do I want in charge of my state and city?) and measures that, if passed, will affect my life positively and negatively. In addition, Primaries determine who runs in the General Election. I want a say in that, because I want the best possible candidates to be put before the voters in the General.
Problem: Too few people vote in the Primaries, leaving the decisions to interest groups and wealthy supporters whose voices are loud enough to influence the election, because their voices and money shout loudest, drawing in like-minded and/or sheep-like voters. I refuse to give into them. I refuse to let others decide the lives of myself and my loved ones.
