Early voting has begun for the Nov. 8 general election, and everyone who is able to vote is encouraged to do so. Rio GrandeValley voters have never had a better reason to cast their ballots and make their political preferences known.
Participation at the voting booth is always a good habit, but such involvement traditionally isn’t as strong when the president isn’t on the ballot. While voter turnout in the Valley has improved in recent elections, it remains lower than other parts of the state, and the country.
Elections that primarily include local races have drawn so few voters that turnout doesn’t even reach 20%. That shouldn’t be the case, as local and state officials enact the majority of laws and ordinances that affect our daily lives, and set sales and property tax rates that determine how much of our hard-earned money we’re able to keep. Local government offices see a steady stream of residents appearing to challenge ordinances and tax levies or to request specific public services, but only the voters actually decide who makes those decisions in the first place.
One factor that might have affected Valley voter participation is a historic lack of real options. One party has long dominated South Texas politics for more than a century. As a result, many of the larger races — congressional seats and major statewide positions — have been decided at the party level. Many candidates who won the Democratic primary earlier in the year have been unopposed or faced token challenges from third-party hopefuls, leaving many voters to decide that casting ballots in November isn’t worth the trouble.
That isn’t the case this year. The Republican Party has made major inroads in the Valley in recent years, and for the first time in a long time both parties offer a strong slate of candidates up and down the ballot.
Moreover, the two parties’ platforms might be as far apart as they ever have been. Political ads can lead voters to view many of the races as a decision between stronger security measures and greater individual freedoms.
Whichever side draws the most voter support will determine the policies under which all residents will have to live for at least the next two years.
In addition, many races will bring change regardless of the outcome. For the first time in a long time, incumbency won’t be a factor in many principal races. New faces will occupy the two U.S. House seats that serve the majority of Valley residents, and several local members of the state legislature have chosen not to seek reelection.
As a result, those who draw the most votes in this election could bring about major changes that will help determine the Valley’s future for years to come.
Hyperbole is a common feature in political ads. This year, however, candidates’ declarations about the importance of this election are more accurate than normal.
Whether individual voters see our democratic exercise as a duty or a privilege, it certainly is a valuable opportunity to help determine the political direction the Rio GrandeValley will take for the foreseeable future.
It’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be dismissed.
