County, Letters To The Editor, Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Slam to the voters

by on

More in County:

Dear Editor:
On Page 4A of the Nov. 7 issue of the Rio Blanco Herald Times, I believe Mr. McMahon’s opinion concerning the integrity of voters who vote by mail-in ballot was quite a slam to the 2,000-plus recent voters of Rio Blanco County.
It appears to him that by going to the polls in person, each voter is more informed and concerned than a voter who mails his ballot in. “…Those who vote in…

One Comment

  1. jim brown
    November 25, 2013 at 9:46 pm

    Editor,
    Over looked in your response is the fact that in the recent election for the Meeker School Board, just slightly more than 53% of registered voters in that school district cast a ballot. I served seven years as a member of the county election board in a county with a population of just under 500,000 people.
    One of our biggest challenges during those years was how to get people to register and vote. Often times voter turnout was well below 50% of eligible voters which I found to be distressing.
    I too like the idea that citizen voters all consider “election day” as a sacrosanct obligation and that everyone who is qualified would be able and would go to the polls and vote in person–it’s a wonderful American experience.
    However, for whatever reason(s) that is not the case today. Thus, I reluctantly feel that in an effort to increase voter participation, that early voting avenues should be in place. I believe that we simply must trust that those who choose to vote early have studied the issues in question and know which candidates most closely reflect their opinion and point of view.
    Having grown up in Rio Blanco County I am certain that those who participated in this most recent election were well informed on the issues and very well acquainted with the candidates.
    As far as overall voter turnout and participation is concerned, I would hope that people in the community would feel as I do about the importance of elections; that they would inform themselves concerning the issues and candidates; that the press would undertake to robustly inform their readers of the issues and candidates throughout the period leading up to election day; and that all qualified electors would exercise their franchise on the important issues of the day.
    Perhaps then our political institutions will be lead by persons who are truly placed in office by as many citizen participants as possible.

    Jim Brown

Subscribe

Donate