No Vote Equals No Voice

It is now less than two months and counting until the Presidential Election 2020.

Hopefully, the turnout at the polls will be much better than the 2016 election. Only about 138 million Americans voted in the last election. Roughly 58% of the eligible voters.

What were the rest of you doing on Election Day 2016?

My dad was ‘old school’ and pretty vocal on his position when it came to exercising the right to vote. If there was any kind of political debate within earshot at his local watering hole, my dad would respond by asking, “Did you vote? If no, then you don’t get to express your opinion.” For dad and others like him, no vote equals no voice.

For many of my dad’s generation, voting was not just a right granted to them as a U.S. citizen, but a privilege and an obligation to help build a better America.

Dad took a similar position when it came to expressing dissatisfaction with the way our country was being run. He would say, “If you are unhappy with the way things are going here, then stop complaining and do something to make them better, or leave. There are planes departing daily to the country of your choosing. Pick a destination, buy a ticket and go. Find out firsthand if things are better somewhere else.”

Good advice for those who cannot seem to find their ‘happy place’ here.

Like dad, I’m old school too. But I’ll take it a step further. Unless they ask for it, people aren’t really interested in your opinion. They care more about your actions and what you have done to make a difference. How have you improved the quality of their lives and the lives of others? Selecting the best candidates to lead our nation, during this time of crisis, division and unrest, is one of the ways we can help improve things.

Now is the time for each one of us to do some soul-searching.

This November 3rd, 35 of 100 Senate seats and all 435 House of Representative seats will be voted on, in addition to the office of the President. State and local government positions will also be determined in many states. This is our window of opportunity to make an impact and help bring about needed change.

Be a role model, not a bystander. Make voting in this year’s election a priority, so our collective voices can be heard.

Enjoy the journey!

John

COPYRIGHT © 2020 John Carroll