Who remembers showing up, unprepared, for a multiple-choice (aka multiple-guess) test in a high school social studies class? If you were like me, who hadn’t studied a lick, you just took a chance, blindly filled in those blank ovals…and then waited for the inevitable bad news. For many of us, those hit-or-miss answers could make or break our grade for the year.
When you think about it, it’s not that different when we go to vote. How many of us really learn about the candidates, their records, or the choices we have, before we go to the polls? We enter the voting booth, look at the ballot and think, here we go again—we don’t know who these candidates are. We look at that multiple choice answer sheet and play the old guessing game once more, and even leave some blanks unmarked—which, if you remember, counted as a wrong answer on those old tests. For the most part, we VOTE BLIND, take our chances, and then the next day hear about a race won or lost by only one or two votes! Talk about a make or break.
Though sometimes it’s been the hard way, I’ve learned my lesson. I study for my tests now. And I make sure I know who the candidates are—from all parties– BEFORE I go to vote. I attend the candidate rallies. I meet the candidates. I listen to what’s important to them and learn how they plan to vote on issues important to me. And then, prepared, I go to the polls and vote with my eyes open.
SO, that’s why I am definitely going to the MEET YOUR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES GATHERING THIS SUNDAY, JULY 1 from 3-5 pm at the DAVIS FIRE HALL. There, we can all meet the candidates, question them, hear from them, and let them know what’s important to us.
Here’s an added bonus to attending a candidate get-together (besides the free and delicious refreshments). Not only do WE get to know the candidates; THEY get to know US. Not only are we able to remember THEIR faces when we look at our voting ballot; they remember OURS when they vote on legislation–whether they vote in West Virginia OR Washington, DC. Attending a gathering to meet and greet our candidates is a win-win opportunity. So, how about it? See you Sunday…and NO MORE BLIND VOTING FOR US…OR OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
Linnie Spence
Davis, WV
