Health & Fitness
Does Your Vote Make A Difference?
Make A Resolution To Register To Vote Or a Promise To Always Vote This 4th of July
As we celebrate the 4th of July with our O'Fallon Freedom Fest, we are faced with a serious problem that grows worse every year.
The right and the duty to vote in every election in O'Fallon, St. Charles County, Missouri and the United States has been given to us by our founding fathers and by the hundreds of thousands of sacrificed lives by the men and women of our armed forces.
We wave our U.S. Flags at the Freedom Fest Parade...We hold our hands over our hearts when we pledge our allegiance to the United States....We sing the national anthem loudly and proudly...Do we actually demonstrate our love for our country by voting?
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Unfortunately, a highly unacceptable percentage of eligible voters never register to vote. And, even worse, less than 20% of the registered voters in local O'Fallon elections vote on the issues that most effect them.
I have taken a verbal straw poll over the last few weeks and have asked many people that I associate with in many different ways if they vote in all local elections. Very few said yes that they vote in every local election and there were three basic answers:
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1. I don't follow local politics and "my vote doesn't really matter anyway".
2. They don't announce the elections ahead of time and "my vote doesn't really matter anyway."
3. I'm too busy for the local elections and "my vote doesn't really matter anyway."
In fact, I asked several people how they felt about the approval of the O'Fallon Smoking Ban and there was strong sentiment against it. Guess what? Only one of the nine people I asked about the smoking ban voted against it - the other eight complainers did not vote.
It's simple but IF YOU DON'T VOTE YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN.
It has been my personal experience that becoming involved in the City of O'Fallon has been fun and interesting. In fact, I have seen many times where local citizen involvement in city issues has made a major difference in getting changes made. I suggest that you find the time to go to a city council meeting from time to time, contact Kathy Halstead with Volunteer Services in the City of O'Fallon or contact your city councilman for a cup of coffee to discuss the city.
You live in O'Fallon so do what you can to make it better and of course, vote.
Have a great 4th of July Weekend.