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There are a disturbing number of intelligent, well-informed people who have taken a look at the state of our government and decided to wash their hands of it by removing themselves from the voting process.
How often have you heard, "It's all a mess. Neither side cares about anything but winning. No one represents me. I'm just not going to vote?"
And so, elections are increasingly decided not by those who feel as though they are caught in the middle, but by those who are happy to fall toward one of the extremes. It is an understatement to call that less than ideal.
"In West Virginia, our elections belong to the people," said Secretary of State Kris Warner. "Elections are the foundation of representative government and the mechanism through which citizens make their voices heard."
His remarks came at the start of National Voter Registration Month, during which eligible citizens are encouraged not only to register AND vote, but to become as informed as possible. Prepare for your vote with facts, not newsertainment and social media nonsense; and if you have not already done so, register to vote.
The deadline to register in time to vote in the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 13 in West Virginia. In Ohio, the deadline is Oct. 5.
It's a good time to become informed about the election process, too. For example, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office has begun sending out absentee ballot forms by mail.
"For over a decade, registered Ohio voters have received an absentee ballot request form ahead of the Presidential and Gubernatorial general elections, and that will continue this year," LaRose said last week.
Both secretaries are trying their best to make sure their information is louder than the politicized noise that is designed to confuse and perhaps scare off potential voters.
"Every voice matters, and every election begins with being ready," Warner said.
Yes, that means you -- your voice.
Those who warn "If you don't vote, you're part of the problem," have a point -- and that goes for elections at all levels. In many years, the decisions made for our communities and schools have greater impacts on our daily lives than those at the state or federal level.
Do not sit this one out. Do not let a miniscule percentage of the most extreme voters decide for you, your school district, your community, state or country.
Apathy and inaction are much more destructive than participating in the political process we all hold dear.