Battle for democracy begins at ballot box

Just five days and counting until the 2022 midterm General Election concludes. Will you be counted?

Historically, midterm elections attract fewer voters than when a presidential race is on the ballot. In 2014, the Berkeley County turnout was just 42%, while in 2018 the number rose only slightly to 54%. That means that barely half the voters in the county made the decision for everyone on who would represent them at the local, state and federal levels of government. But following the record-setting turnout of nearly 73% in Berkeley County for the 2020 presidential election, will more voters take part in this year’s midterm races?

You know the old adage used by many coaches or people trying to sell you raffle tickets – you can’t win if you don’t play. A bit cliché, but the meaning rings true as we approach the election and in fact, the stakes are high. The person representing your values, supporting your issues, creating the laws you want, and more may not win without your vote. We’ve seen races in the past locally where just a handful of votes kept a candidate off the ballot or out of the statehouse.

Some people feel their vote won’t count because of their voting district’s perceived demographic. But demographics are ever-changing and I think some people would be surprised to know that in 2020, only 21% of registered voters in Berkeley County were ages 65 and over. Younger voters ages 18-44 comprised 45% of those registered to vote.

And the number of registered voters has been growing rapidly in Berkeley County – jumping nearly 40 percent since 2014, from just under 91,000 to nearly 150,000, as our population has steadily grown. So there are a lot of new voices to be heard in our county. Will yours be one of them?

It doesn’t matter if you’re Republican or Democrat or Independent or Libertarian or support some other party, if you don’t cast your ballot you have been silenced and you have been silenced by yourself. People complain about not being heard, but you can’t be heard if you don’t speak out. Your vote is your voice.

Don’t fall victim to excuses and procrastination. This isn’t some ol’ New Year’s resolution about losing weight or watching less TV. In a recent NBC News poll, 71% of Americans believe democracy is in danger. The way to protect democracy is by exercising your right to vote. It’s imperative that everyone speak up and speak out. If you weren’t able to vote early, there’s still time through Nov. 5. (Read more on early voting on page 16.) And if you can’t vote early, schedule time to go to the poll in person on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

There’s another old adage that also rings true at election time. If you don’t vote you can’t – well, I’ll use the G-rated version – complain.

It’s time to be counted.

Note: Voter registration statistics were obtained from the South Carolina Election Commissions reports. For additional information, or to review sample ballots, visit berkeleycountysc.gov/dept/elections/ or scvotes.gov.
Boots Gifford is the copy editor for The Daniel Island News.

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