It ought to be a busy weekend for the responsible adults among us. For the other lot — the apathetic or disaffected, the distracted or distressed, the fed up and the quitters — probably not so much.
On Tuesday voters will be asked to cast their ballots for the candidates they’d want to see represent them at the local, state and federal levels. There will also be a smattering of measures and proposals that will tell current legislators where and how to spend money or which development projects merit manifestation.
Tuesday’s vote in most cases will whittle the field from the many to the few so that come November, voters will only be choosing between Person One and Person Two.
There’s a lot of cramming to be done between now and Tuesday at 8 p.m., when polls close in California. Who represents your needs? Which candidate wants to go in the direction you think is best? Who looks like I can trust them and what groups are backing their champion?
Maybe those questions will be asked and answered while a potential voter is out and about on the town and tackling chores?
Maybe climate change will come to mind, as a mother of two tries to decide how to dress her children for a weekend that calls for a chance of rain after a few days of unseasonably high temperatures. Who thinks this it’s a real threat and treats the issue seriously and with respect?
Or maybe the single father shopping for food with his son at Costco will wonder if he should stock up on canned goods and water as he passes by a few people in surgical masks. Is the coronavirus something I really need to worry about? Should my boy be wearing a surgical mask? Which of those people running for office is an anti-vaxxer and which one said he doesn’t believe in universal healthcare?
The biannual exercise in our civic privilege is a small way to direct the course of our lives and the lives of those who come after us. It is a small step, but a significant one. Most importantly, it is not the only one.
Staying informed, asking questions and reflecting on the values you cherish and then taking action on those conclusions is just as important as picking who will represent you in office. Voting — having your say — is an important step in creating the world you want to live in.
