Doug Armitage, Nederland. Many people seem pretty sick of the whole voting thing right now. It’s overwhelming to see the emails in my inbox, mail in my mailbox, the endless political advertisements on TV, all those angry people who are trying to convince me to look at the world through their own eyes. I have my own eyes right here, and I’m pretty burnt out by this whole process!

We Coloradans are fortunate because we have voted via mail long enough to realize that voting this way “works”. There are no valid reasons why you can’t vote.

One thing I hear people say is they don’t want to vote because they just didn’t think it’s necessary. Or, “He’s already in office, I kinda figured he didn’t need my help.” As well as saying you aren’t willing to take the time out of your day to open the ballot, read through the items, and fill in that dot but you don’t think it will have an impact on the outcome. And my favorite, “I know it’s kind of a stupid thought, but I feel like one missed vote isn’t going to change anything.” 

Please don’t be this person. Living in a productive, safe society means we do or don’t do certain things. We wear clothing of one kind or another. We don’t spit on others. We understand that we drive on the right side of the road. Some of these things matter more than others, but voting is a critical behavior that means more than some folks know. 

Some people vote inconsistently, or at moments when they feel like their vote has a chance to make a difference, or when the stakes of not voting are just too high, which is how many Americans describe this upcoming election. You, as a voter, have a power. That power is the power of a constituent. If you fail to use your power, your view of what society should be, to you, is not important to those who are making decisions. 

Want those people to listen to you? Vote! In a democracy like ours, we elect representatives to craft policy for us. Every policy that impacts people - from federal laws on health care to local legislation on concealed carry of firearms - is decided by representatives who answer to their constituents. Use your power. VOTE! 

Make sure you attend to those people you voted for. Does your town government care more about boosting the budget for the parks department or your county government care about giving teachers a raise? 

When we see the end of the line for voting is as simple as filling out your ballot, and dropping it into the mail, or drop box, and we can get an email from the county clerk that we have been counted, we have it much easier than folks who have to wait in line, in the cold, with a pandemic floating around. Your vote counts. Vote.

(Originally published in the October 29, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)