Voting is a right we shouldn’t take for granted

The reasons people give for not voting are plentiful. “I’m too busy;” “I don’t like the candidates;” “it’s only one vote and makes no difference.” Shockingly, on average, between 35% and 60% of eligible voters don’t cast a ballot.

The reasons to exercise your vote far outweigh the excuses for not doing so.

Not voting is a wasted opportunity to make your voice heard. Imagine what would happen if every voter felt too busy, too disenfranchised, or too insignificant to vote.

Think back to the Gore v. Bush election in 2000. That presidential election came down to the state of Florida and 0.009% of the votes cast in that state, which was only 537 votes. There have been many races in recent U.S. history decided literally by a handful of votes. Some of these elections came down to a difference of a single vote out of thousands.

Many people have died fighting for the right to vote. One such person is Vernon Dahmer who was a civil rights leader in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. On Jan. 9, 1966, Dahmer made a public service announcement in Mississippi that he would help collect and pay the poll tax for local African Americans who could not afford to register to vote.

That night his home was firebombed by the Ku Klux Klan. Dahmer and his wife and children were able to escape, but he died the following day from severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Some important history: It has only been 155 years since African American males gained the right to vote; a little over 100 years since white women have gained the right to vote; exactly 100 years since Native Americans gained the right to vote; 80 years since Chinese Americans gained the right to vote; 60 years since poll taxes were prohibited; and 53 years since 18-year-olds gained the right to vote.

Although the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 allowing women, including African American women, to vote and hold political office, in response many states passed discriminatory laws. It wasn’t until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act passed that suffrage was secured for African American women. That’s only 59 years ago.

The importance of voting is not just about the presidential election.

Down-ballet races create real opportunities for change in our communities. Studies show that approximately 30% of voters do not complete the entire ballot. Yet, it is the down-ballot candidates that impact our everyday lives.

New Mexico has recently been recognized as No. 1 in the nation for the reliability of our voting process and the average wait to vote is only 3.8 minutes.

The Bernalillo County Clerk’s Office and website www.berncoclerk.gov has resources to help you register to vote, update your voter registration, and also provides information on early voting, absentee voting, election day voting and information on upcoming election. Don’t make excuses.

Make a difference to your community. Vote.