Primary Elections: Who Cares??

By Brandon Milster

If I was asked to sum up my political views in as much of a non-partisan way as I could, I guess I would have to say - I enjoy being informed! It appears that party lines are dictating law and policy now more than at any point in recent memory. Republicans and democrats cannot seem to agree on one piece of legislation presented to Congress, and the party line is becoming finer with each passing vote. It also appears that there is a growing distinction between republican and conservative and democrat and liberal. Our citizens are tuning into their favorite news station almost every night to find out the latest developments in healthcare reform, border patrol, United States Supreme Court nominations, etc. One would think that a primary election this year would be a bit more important than in years past.

On May 4, 2010, I went to my registered voting location right before the 6:00 p.m. closing time, cast my vote, and headed over to the vote-tallying machine to insert my card. As my card was being fed through the scanner, I noticed a voter tally for the entire day: 41. That’s right folks: 41. In what could be one of the most influential mid-term elections in years, a mere 41 people decided to cast a vote in my district. I know what you are going to say, “But it’s only a PRIMARY ELECTION.” “I can go vote in November when it really matters.” My reply is simple: Many republican and democratic candidates’ political stances are vastly different (inside their own party). By the time November arrives, the candidate that embodied the beliefs closest to yours may already have been sent home.

I know this is a little too late for people in Indiana, and I apologize for that. However, there are other primary elections around the country in the months ahead. Please go out and vote!!! I am tired of people that complain about what is going on with our country but are too lazy to go out and make a difference.