To the Editor, Naperville Patch:
“In a democracy people get the government they deserve.” Alexis de Tocqueville.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport. “ Marian Wright Edelman
“If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” John F. Kennedy
I have seen statistics that 60 percent of the electorate doesn’t vote. No wonder Illinois has been called one of the most corrupt states. Too many people don’t care about voting. Why is that? Are we complacent and think that our one vote won’t make a difference?
Over the course of 45 years, five states came into the United States by a one-vote margin (Texas, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho). How different would the US be without these states?
I do not understand why so many of us are complacent. Have we forgotten those who fought for and died for the right to vote in the US and abroad? I believe citizens need to be involved in the political process and make their voice heard. Not only do citizens need to vote, they need to be informed voters. I joined the League of Women Voters because of their four primary foci: to educate voters, to register voters, to improve elections and to improve government.
There are many ways in which you can be an informed voter. You can become an informed voter by attending a candidate meet and greet. The LWV of Naperville will hold its next candidate meet and greet on Thursday, March 8 at the Nichols Library for candidates for DuPage County Board District 5, DuPage County Forest Preserve District 5, and Will County Board District 11. The Naperville League of Women Voters’ website posts information about candidates in our area. You can access the link at http://www.lwvnaperville.org and click on the Voter Guide.
You can become an informed voter by researching independent sites. Information on the 18th Judicial races can be found at the Illinois State Bar Association, which has the following link: http://www.isba.org/sites/default/files/judicialevaluations/outsidecook/18circuit.pdf
The LWV’s website will also provide you a comprehensive list of candidates for election at the March 20, 2012 General Primary and a link to the Illinois’ Board of Election Commission to view the new legislative and Congressional Districts. You will also find links to see if you are registered to vote in Illinois, where your polling place is and how to obtain an absentee ballot in DuPage and Will Counties, as well as information on early voting.
I encourage all registered voters to become informed voters and to cast their ballots on or before March 20, 2012. After all, your one vote can make a difference.
Mary T. Wright
Vice President
LWV Naperville