Your vote is needed

After months of campaigning and weeks of annoying negative advertising, election day arrives on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Since last spring, we’ve seen candidates tell us why we should vote for them, and even more commercials and print ads telling us why voting for their opponent is a bad thing. The barrage of negative messages can’t end soon enough.

A candidate for public office should be good enough that they can present their credentials to the voters, the voter looks at them and says “Why yes, this person is worthy of my vote.” A voter wants to go to the polls and vote for someone… someone who stands for something, someone who supports something. A candidate using scare tactics or smear tactics against an opponent isn’t giving the voter a reason to vote for them.

There are many good candidates on this year’s ballot, including candidates on each side of the political aisle. Voters need to look at the candidates and ask themselves three questions. 1 - Is this person qualified? 2 - Does this person inspire trust? 3 - Where does this candidate stand on the important issues, and do those views agree with my views? If that’s the case, then vote for that person. Don’t listen to the negative campaigning. Those ads aren’t designed to convince you to vote for someone. They are designed to get you to not vote for someone. The effect is often disgust and can lead voters to decide not to show up at the polls.

That’s not what this state, or this country needs. We need voters to show up at the polls. It’s the best way to let the candidates know that the public cares about real issues, not made up issues or distorted viewpoints. A large turnout will send a message to the candidates that voters are listening and paying attention to real issues. Perhaps then, elected officials will pay more attention to what the voters want when they are in office.