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No excuse for voter apathy
For the first time this decade, less than 40 percent of Loudoun's registered voters took to the polls to elect their next governor.
This dismal turnout is unacceptable, especially in the month we celebrate veterans who have fought for our freedoms -- most notably the privilege to elect our representatives in government.
That's right, voting is a privilege that shouldn't be taken for granted.
We're not sure why so many Loudouners chose to skip the polling places Nov. 3. Maybe you're still hung over from the excitement surrounding the 2008 presidential election that saw a 77.92 percent turnout in the county.
Even if that's the case, there is still no excuse.
The men we sent to Richmond in this election are tasked with fixing the problems we complain about every day.
Do you sit in traffic? Have you lost your job?
For those of you who didn't vote, you basically threw your arms up in the air and said the problems we're facing are here to stay.
That's not a good attitude to have.
For those of you who did vote, thank you for practicing your civic duty. Please try to spread your patriotism and enthusiasm for voting to your apathetic neighbors.
The fact is that state and local elections affect us much more than federal elections.
Our state legislators control the quality of our schools and the roads we drive on every day. Our local legislators control what is going to be developed on the land across the street and are tasked with attracting companies to employ us.
These are things we should be concerned with. Yet, our voter turnout record shows that we care more about what happens in Washington, D.C., than we do about what happens in our commonwealth and in our own backyard.
It's ironic that the more closely our public officials impact us, the lower voter turnout is.
The voter turnout for the last county supervisor election, in 2007, was 33.81 percent, even lower than what we saw Nov. 3.
Turnout in town elections is usually even lower.
As Virginians, we get the opportunity to vote for one public office or another every year. That opportunity needs to be cherished.
It's time to change the tide and bring the turnout numbers for all elections up to those we see in presidential elections.
In other words, Loudouners, you've been challenged.
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