By Dr. John E. Warren
On Oct. 15, the first day of early voting in the state of Georgia, more than 310,000 people waited in lines for as long as it took to cast their votes in the 2024 general election. This first day of voting was greater than the number voting on the first day four years ago in Georgia.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who turned 100 years old a couple of weeks ago, had a dream realized. He had expressed a hope that he would live long enough after turning100 years old, to cast his vote for Kamala Harris to become the first woman president of these united states. Nationwide over 6.6 million people have already cast their ballots in early elections.
We must remember that the state of Georgia gave us democratic control of the U.S. Senate in sending both a Black and a Jewish person to the Senate in spite of Trump’s efforts to steal votes. Bringing the issue close to home, each of us must follow the examples of these early voters and not only vote as soon as possible, but also be in touch with friends and family in other cities and states to encourage all to vote. While voting, we must not forget those running for other positions like the Congress, the Senate and state and local elections. Every vote counts and your vote is among the “every vote counts.”
We should not forget the propositions and local measures on our ballots. Some of us are already showing signs of not wanting to hear the continuous call for voter registration and voting. But let’s remember that our very future hangs on this election in more ways than one.
Many of those voting for and supporting Donald Trump know that he is unfit to hold office as President of the United States. As former Congresswoman Liz Cheney states, “he should never be allowed near the Oval Office again.” But the vote for Trump is not about Trump. It’s about the vehicle he represents for moving the radical conservative agenda to gain additional judges on the Supreme Court and in Federal Judgeships as a means to move America towards restoring policies and power to the rich and the few for generations to come. It’s about “they the people” and not the “We the people” that includes the diverse and working class people of this country.
Let’s not lose our freedoms because of a failure to vote. It’s a matter of life and death, no matter where you live or whether or not you think your vote counts. Remember, a no vote is the same as a vote for those running against your interest.
This article was originally published by the San Diego Voice and Viewpoint Newspaper.
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