One woman's view: Every vote counts — if cast
Contributing writer
We are now less than two weeks from election day, so I can't resist nudging citizens with a few observations about the privilege and responsibility of voting.
The 2000 election, when only a few hundred votes separated the winner from the loser in the Presidential race, should have opened our eyes to a couple of things. First, it is very important that votes be counted accurately, and this seems to be a problem in many areas.
Where voting machines are used, they need to be checked for accuracy, and ballots should be printed to eliminate as much voter confusion as possible. However, these are not pressing concerns in Marion County. The second lesson of 2000 is that every vote is important.
Your vote could be decisive and the only way it will not count here is if you stay home from the polls. Often, less than half of eligible citizens go and cast their ballots. We are afforded many freedoms in this country, including the freedom not to vote. Perhaps if you are that indifferent, the country may be better off without your input. However, I feel that freedoms come joined to responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to be an informed voter.
I have voted in every election since 1960. Sometimes, however, I admit to having cast my vote without adequate information. It isn't always easy to become informed, and the news media has to bear some responsibility for that. This year I appreciated one television channel's evening news, which subjected candidates' advertising to the "truth test," giving the facts behind the ad's claims.
For example, Shallenburger's oft-repeated claim that we can fund education without raising taxes is based on his plan to lay more of the funding burden on individual school districts. The only way they can raise funding is to increase property taxes.
Although I always go to the polls, I do not always vote in every contest, if I have been unable to get adequate information. I leave the decision to voters who have a definite opinion. Ideally, I should get the needed information, but I haven't always found that to be possible.
Political advertising always should be viewed cautiously and often taken with the proverbial grain of salt. I am particularly skeptical of candidates who pledge not to raise taxes. Since that claim leads to mindless support from many voters, it is a popular one with candidates. The sober fact is that it is usually impossible to cut taxes without cutting services, and I appreciate a candidate who honestly accepts that reality.
Another occasion for skepticism is extremely negative advertising about the opposition instead of emphasizing the candidate's own strengths. Of course, it is fair politics to point to a candidate's voting record in Congress or the legislature. However, even those statements may be misleading, if you do not understand the details of the legislation in question. Caution also is recommended when a candidate is quoted out of context. It would probably be possible to find a sentence almost anyone has said at some time which would show him/her in a bad light.
The later in a campaign a negative ad is published or broadcast, the more skeptical a voter should be. In a half century of following political campaigns, I have noticed that a negative statement about a candidate in the last few days before election is nearly always a lie. Waiting with such a statement until the opposing candidate has little or no opportunity to refute it often is a successful strategy, because many voters are ignorant enough to believe everything they hear.
One last caution: base your vote on your own interpretations of information you have collected and your own impressions of the candidates without being influenced by opinion polls. When voters rush to cast ballots for the person ahead in the polls, then the outcome is decided by the tiny percentage of registered voters questioned in the poll. Our country deserves better.
There is still time to search for accurate information about candidates in the upcoming election. Find out all you can about all the issues, not just those which push your particular hot button. Examine claims and accusations to determine whether the whole truth is being presented, or only a half-truth or an outright lie.
When you have learned all you can about the candidates and issues and perhaps sent up a prayer for guidance, then take the responsibility to go to the polls Nov. 5 and cast your ballot. Your vote is important.
