The General election is coming soon, Nov. 5, 2024. The ballot this year is lengthy with local candidates for City Council, County Commission, and Townships. On the state and federal levels, we will be voting on judges for Judicial District 20, candidates for the Kansas House of Representatives (District 1), the Senate, and the President and Vice President of the United States.
While our votes for the President and Vice-President are indirect and called the ‘popular vote,’ the 538 appointed members of the Electoral College elect these top two positions. The candidate who receives 270 electoral votes wins. On the other hand, your vote has a huge impact on local matters.
As a representative democracy, our government is elected by citizens by voting, “power of the people.” Census data shows that Great Bend has a population of approximately 14,200 people. A recent analysis from non-profit groups such as The Voter Network and the Main Stream Coalition finds that approximately 540 people in our town have not voted since the August 2022 primary.
Voting matters. By voting, we decide who will hold power. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), voting is our report card on lawmakers. Voting is our right; it is a chance to make our voices heard. According to a piece from Human Rights Watch, voting rights are threatened by gerrymandering, misinformation, election interference, and the intimidation of election officials. In 2023, at least 14 states passed laws making voting harder. A representative government is only successful if as many people as possible vote. This helps create a government based on what the people want and need.
The League of Women Voters’ mission is to empower voters and defend democracy. To this end, League members visit history classes at BCC and local high schools to encourage seniors to register to vote, understand the value of voting, and learn how to vote. Please, take some time to research candidates by googling their names or going to a site called ballotpedia.org. This online political encyclopedia provides unbiased information on politics and elections. It can help you to understand enough information to feel comfortable voting. Another site called Vote411.org is brought to you by the League of
Women Voters Education Fund. After you type in your residential address a list of candidates in your area will be shown.
I encourage you to exercise your right to vote. By doing so you are strengthening democracy and ensuring that everyone has a chance to be heard. Your vote matters whether you are young or old. Please, use it to make a positive impact on the world around you!
Janice Walker
President LWV- Great Bend, Barton County