There’s a better way than ‘staying away’

By Rep. Ed Greef, HD-88, Florence

There’s a better way than ‘staying away’.
Voters from both parties are expressing their frustration with the national election by wondering if they will even have the heart to vote this time. All of us likely have pondered the thought, and now must soon turn the ache we are feeling into a decision. It’s time to vote. We have the right, and just as important, the responsibility, to cast our vote. Don’t stay away… we can have it both ways. We can ‘not vote’ on any line on the ballot and it will not interfere with the validity of the ballot. Recent conversation with the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder confirms that the machines count only the boxes that are marked. Unmarked boxes do not place the ballot aside for a hand count. No additional work is caused by the ‘unmarked’ box.
Normally most of us would plead for all voters to turn out. This year is different. Reality is, there is potential for a whole lot of ‘no shows’ from both parties. A few months ago it seemed to be one party doing the talking…. not anymore. Now we are about equal. I hear this from as many Democrats as Republicans.
The solution is simple and tolerable … skip the upper left part of the first column and focus on the very important rest of the ballot. The rest is our state, regional, and community folks and needs. In Ravalli County that is twenty seven items. This is where we live, these are the issues that affect our lives right here at home. We all want to, and must have, our voice heard here.
It’s OK to leave it blank, it’s not OK to stay away.