Editorial: Behold the power of your vote
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There is a lot of attention paid to endorsements in elections — that rubber stamp from one organization or VIP given to this candidate or that ticket.
But if the 2020 election shows us anything, it is the critical importance of another E word.
Empowerment.
The most important thing about any election isn’t who someone else says you should vote for. It isn’t the bumper sticker on your car or the sign in your yard. It’s not the memes you share on social media or the arguments you make when the issues come up with family or friends.
None of that matters. There is only one thing that does. Voting. Whether remotely or in person, making a choice is the only thing that makes a difference.
And there may never be another election that has so motivated people to participate.
In 2016, more than 6 million votes were cast in Pennsylvania. As of Monday, counties around Pennsylvania had already received more than 2.4 million votes, with polling places still 24 hours away from opening. Registration for the 2020 election is up about 50% over the last presidential contest.
That’s the kind of engagement that cannot be bought with a rubber stamp. It is purchased with involving people in the process. It happens when people realize why their votes are important — and that not voting has consequences.
There is so much that has made this year’s voting different. It already was heading toward a rematch of 2016’s showdown and the 2018 midterm swell. But then came the coronavirus pandemic that has emerged as both an election issue and an election hurdle, pushing millions to mail or hand-deliver their ballots rather than show up at the polls Nov. 3. Across the country, some people have waited in line for hours for the early voting.
But then came other issues. Racism versus riots. Criminal justice. An economic watershed moment. All of them could drive someone to vote individually. Together they demand action. And that’s where empowering the vote comes in.
Empowerment doesn’t tell people what to do. It doesn’t give them information they didn’t already have. What it does do is tell people that regardless of who they support, regardless of the issues, their voices are important because every voice is important.
Let’s set aside the ugly contentiousness that this election has been simmering in for years. Instead, let’s focus on what might be the most positive aspect of a pretty negative contest. This is set to be a record-breaking expression of the democratic process in action, and that is the kind of thing that should be celebrated.
If you voted already, that is fantastic. If you are voting in person, that’s great too. And if you requested a mail-in ballot, but haven’t sent it yet, you have two choices: hand-deliver to the county elections office before 8 p.m., or take your entire ballot packet (including envelopes) to your voting place and ask officials to void it — and then vote.
It’s your right. It’s your responsibility.
And after all that has happened, this is your last chance.
Don’t waste it.