Voting makes a difference

By Staff
Kimberly West
Franklin County Times
One thing that stood out the most to me about the results of Tuesday's run-off election for three of the four Franklin County Commission spots was the closeness of two of the races, and one was decided by only 142 votes.
The other thing that struck me was that less than 3,600 votes were cast in an election of people who play a pivotal role in the safety, roads and economic progress of a county with approximately 30,000 residents.
A friend and I had recently had a debate about whether one vote can make a difference. He believes that one vote won't affect the outcome of an election, and one elected official can't change the status quo. It may be naive, but I think one vote or one person can make a huge difference.
I just think about all of the managers I had at my part-time jobs in high school and college, and the dozens of teachers and coaches over the years. A competent, caring manager made hours on the clock whiz by, while a patient, creative teacher made class lectures interesting and easy to comprehend.
I know most elections aren't decided by one vote, but if 143 supporters of one of the incumbent commissioners had gone to the polls Tuesday, then he would still be in office.
I lived in Florence for several years, and a lot of progress has been made there since current mayor Bobby Irons was elected a few years ago, including a major hotel development, growing tourism numbers and the addition of a new pool, sportsplex and city park with a splash pad.
Another complaint my friend had was that he didn't know anything about the candidates running for office. But there's plenty of information available about them if you're willing to follow the news, attend debates or candidate meet-and-greets and research their previous records.
It seems to me that if you can find time to keep up with the latest gossip on a football team or a celebrity, then you also should have time to stay informed about civic leaders and events.
Maybe the problem is that voting isn't that much fun, and many of us – especially my generation – are accustomed to being entertained. But high taxes, poor roads and bleak job prospects aren't fun, either, and all of those issues are directly affected by our local elected officials.