To me, voting is a sacred duty. That might sound a bit hyperbolic to some, but the way that I was raised it was an obligation held dear, and never to be ignored or taken lightly.
My parents came from southern farmers. They came of voting age in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Lumpkin, Georgia during the Jim Crow era. Voting for them was challenging in a way that most of us can’t even imagine today. It wasn’t until they migrated to the north that they were able to exercise their right to vote. It made them full citizens, and it made them proud.
Although my parents had limited formal education, they paid very close attention to politics. They paid particular attention to candidates who addressed issues that had a direct impact on their lives. They also taught us that we had an obligation to consider the lives of others as we cast our votes, and to hold those we elected accountable for how they voted. We learned to examine what candidates said during a campaign and what they did after being elected. My sister and I never forgot those early lessons and have voted in every election since we turned eighteen.
While the mid-term elections may not be as exciting as the presidential, they are the elections that most directly touch our everyday lives. So, I urge everyone to get engaged, know what candidates stand for, and think of where you live, and what our communities need that our government can facilitate. Read all that you can on a candidate from a variety of credible sources. Consider all of that and hold your vote sacred. It represents all our voices and is the very heart of a true democracy.
Election Day in West Virginia is May 10th. The Chamber office will be closed so that Brian and I can work the polls. This is our community. This is our nation. This is our duty…please VOTE!
