New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 28, 2024

Editorial: Do your diligence and make sure you vote

By Andre Jones | October 30, 2018 11:39 pm

As 2018 flies by in a hurry and nears it end, it is vital for each and everyone of us to take in the opportunities and time we have each other. A combination of these two can be with the upcoming Election Day.

It is not only a right and a duty for us to vote on Election Day, we should view it as an honor. Taking the opportunity to voice your opinion is taken for granted by many people. When complaints often rise about one candidate or elected official, the question you should ask is did you do your due diligence and vote? If you did not vote, does it give you the right to complain? Probably not.

But the main point that I want to exercise in this editorial is that the opportunity to vote is a blessing that we should all exercise. If you look at the timeline of how voting has changed since the foundation of the early years. We went from one specific race and class of people to all men receiving the right to vote and continued with women receiving the right to vote. The voting age dropped to 18 years and as the changes continue, more people can make an impact by voicing their opinion through voting.

The one thing that will always stay with me when it comes to voting is a story I heard on a Jerry Clower tape. On the tape, Clower spoke about how a member of his family worked day, night, and overtime for a few precious dimes. When the guy celebrated about making the money others asked him why he was excited for so little pay. The response (and I’m paraphrasing this) was that the man had earned enough money to cast a vote.

To the younger generation, there was a poll tax in the pay that a person had to pay to vote in any election. The story Clower told explained that people may have had the right to vote, but they also had to pay for it as well. You must also remember that people have worked jobs that provided us the opportunity to vote. In the past and even to this day, military personnel risk their lives to allow us to have the freedom to vote.

With all the commercials and campaigns for candidates, remember this: no matter your political party or affiliation, take the time to vote and make a difference. Some people wish they still have the opportunity to vote and all it takes is a little bit of time and a little bit of effort to impact your community, your state, and this nation. Go vote on Nov. 6 for the person who you believe is best for not only your interest but will make our world a better place.