Make use of your precious right to vote

Voting is a basic right of all Americans. The importance of this right cannot be overstated, yet every election year, we hear and read reports of low voter turnout. We are lucky enough to live in a country that gives us the right to vote, and for that reason, it is vital that every American who is eligible exercises that freedom. To understand how important our right to vote is, look no further than what is taking place today in Kenya. The Kenyan Anglican Youth Association has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging 1 million young Kenyans to vote in that country's general election March 4. The election will be Kenya's first since 2007, when electoral disputes triggered violence that left 1,500 people dead and 350,000 displaced from their homes due to rioting near election centers. Bullets and bombs stand between people in Kenya and voting booths. And yet the threat of death does not deter these brave people from casting their ballots, because they believe voting is a right worth the risks. But here in the United States, where we can exercise our right to vote without the threat of bombs being tossed at us or military police blocking us from voting stations, many people — too many people — toss that right away. Not voting sends a message that you do not care about the future of this country. Voting makes you part of the solution to our country's problems. Your vote is your voice as an American citizen. It's your opportunity to be heard, to hold local elected officials accountable for their decisions (or lack thereof) and to have a say on important issues that affect your community. On Election Day, every vote matters — every single vote. We encourage our readers to make plans to vote in Tuesday's elections and to advise their clients to do the same. There truly is no excuse not to exercise that precious freedom.