If you have a ballot — use it wisely

To the editor:

You are not powerless. You have a ballot!

One of my preschool memories is going to the polling locations with my mother. I’m not sure if this was out of convenience or my mother’s way to teach me about the importance of the vote. I believe it was the latter, as I don’t remember missing an opportunity to vote.

Thanks Mom.

I once had a ballot delivered to me at the Brookings Hospital after delivering a baby. Way to go Brooking’s poll workers, for making that happen!

Here are a few good reasons to vote:

You have opinions — this is the place to express them. Your values deserve to be counted.

The issues on the ballot affect your daily life, so let them be heard.
You deserve representation, not just taxation.

School funding, libraries, local hospital funding, parks, domestic violence services, food banks, mental health programs all run on policy- so speak with your vote.

Important issues like Medicare and Social Security trace back to legislation.

Please start making your plans to vote in November. Absentee Voting begins on September 18.

You are not powerless. You have a ballot!

Joanie Holm,
Brookings