Democracy -Grassroots Style
It’s Election Day!
All around the country people are flocking to their polling
places to cast their vote on the issues that ultimately shape the
community where they live. Oh wait. The presidential election is
next year. OK, so all around the country a handful of people are
trickling into the voting booths to decide the issues that shape
their communities.
Fun fact. People are more inclined to vote in national elections
than in local elections, which have more direct impact on their
lives. Voter turnout for local elections can sit at an embarrassing
30 percent, while the 2000 presidential election brought in a
“whopping” 51 percent of registered voters. This number still
doesn’t compare to last century’s national all-time high set in
1960 of 62.8 percent voter turn out. Compare this to Australia’s
recent 85 percent voter turn out and we can get a little
perspective of America’s political apathy. This despite the noble
efforts of organizations like Rock the Vote, which “harnesses
cutting-edge trends and pop culture to make political participation
cool.” (www.rockthevote.com)
Americans of age must be reminded that their voice is the most
powerful curb on politician’s potential abuse of power. This was
stated bluntly enough in 1824 when the Supreme Court’s Chief
Justice Marshall stated in Gibbons v. Ogden:
“‘The wisdom and the discretion of Congress, their identity with
the people, and the influence which their constituents possess at
elections, are… the sole restraints on which they have relied, to
secure them from its abuse. They are the restraints on which the
people must often rely solely, in all representative
governments.”
This check applies just as much to state and local politics as
to Congress. Just ask recalled California Gov. Gray Davis.
Of course, holding our elected officials accountable is just one
small reason to get to the polls. The smaller local elections
present issues that directly affect how the community is shaped,
how it is run and how tax dollars are spent – this is your money,
make sure it is properly spent.
Voting is not the only way to express your voice. Contact your
elected officials. Don’t hesitate because you don’t want to be a
bother. Listening to your concerns is part of their job. Governor,
mayor, city council members, state representatives, national
representatives, the president and any other elected officials
should be regarded more as servants of the people than flock
leaders.
The Internet has made it that much easier to contact your public
servants. With a few clicks you can e-mail the mayor or a
congressman – they can’t represent you if they don’t know where you
stand. Go to www.ci.fort-collins.co.us for contact information for
the mayor and council members of Fort Collins. Go to
www.colorado.gov/government.htm for information about contacting
your state servants.
Another great tool for democracy that has emerged with the
advent of technology is the Internet-based grassroots organization
www.moveon.org. Move On provides information to Americans about
political events, contact numbers of elected officials and even
petitions that can be signed with a click of the mouse. Just an
example of the power of this tool is when Move On passed on a
petition – signed by hundreds of thousands of Americans – to
Congress pleading for action against the FCC’s relaxation of media
ownership regulations.
Tawna Webber, a junior studying psychology, said that she often
felt, like so many others, that she couldn’t make a difference –
that her “opinions don’t matter in the big political picture.”
But Webber said that with the win in the Senate about the FCC,
aided by Move On, she has hope. “This is a way to get your voice
out there and make a difference in a way that doesn’t interfere
with a busy schedule,” she said.
Speaking of busy schedules, Election Day should be made a
national holiday to ensure that people will be able to get to the
voting booths in time. It would also be a wonderful way to promote
one of the most fundamental aspects of a free society. Wouldn’t
Election Day reinforce the ideals of American society so much
better than Columbus Day?
Shannon is a senior majoring in technical journalism. Her column
runs every Tuesday.
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