Letter to the Editor: Vote in Every Election!

Many voters do not vote in every election. They may think that only major elections are important for democracy. Sometimes I fear that folks simply opt out and don’t vote because the political ads can be so negative and annoying.

Please do not opt out! Vote on Tuesday, April 4. Democracy is more than a noble ideal. Our country is great because democracy works better than authoritarianism for prosperous and equitable societies. In a democracy, it is voters who keep the government in line when it deviates too far from the common good.

The election of Judge Janet Protasiewicz to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin will rebalance our highest court away from recent undemocratic decisions such as gerrymandered voting maps and restricted access to voting.

With Roe v. Wade gone, the 1849 Wisconsin abortion ban is now in effect and subject to lower-court lawsuits. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is likely to be the ultimate decider of Wisconsin women’s rights to reproductive health care. Electing Judge Janet will realign the court majority away from extreme conservatism on this issue.

Do not skip voting in the April 4 election! The act of voting helps to seal our appreciation of the right to vote. There’s a lot of attention paid to the “issues” these days; let’s not forget that democracy itself is an issue and that it is up to us. 

Karen Wilson
Fish Creek, Wisconsin