Newsletter - October 2024

 Alert! Alert! Alert!  Did you know we have an election this year.  Yes, that is true.  The official election date is November 5th. You should have received your ballot.  Please vote, sign, seal and return your ballot to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters (located at 435 Fiscal Dr in Santa Rosa).  If you have not received your ballot or have any issues, please contact the Registrar of Voters Immediately.

Now, for some sad news.  The right to vote is one of the marks of a true democracy.  Wars have been fought throughout the years so that citizens have the freedom to have a say in the governance of their country.  Apparently, many Americans have never learned how important the right to vote is.  If you wonder why some parts of the country are such a mess, check out the voting results.

Let’s start with Chicago.  In 2022, there was the race for Chicago Mayor. The top two contenders were both Democrats.  One candidate was a supporter of charter schools and strengthening the police. The other candidate was far more progressive and very hesitant of more police funding.   

There was a long list of candidates. There was a runoff election and the turnout was 35%. That means that a very small minority elected a mayor who has been a negative force for Chicago. Out of 1,592,894 registered voters, 557,422 people voted. 1Million voters in Chicago chose to let someone else make their decision.

Census data indicates that the two biggest reasons people have given for not voting are a lack of interest or dislike for the candidates.  Some people have also stated that they pay no attention to politics and ignore the entire process.

In the 2016 election according to Census Bureau data, as many as 15% of registered voters did not vote because they didn’t believe their vote would make a difference.  A Pew Research Center survey found that half of participants did not bother to research the election because they did not think their vote impacted government. 

Now, let’s take a look at our local Sonoma County election in 2024.  The results of the March primary are depressing.  50.17 percent of registered voters in Sonoma County voted.  That means that half of the voting population of Sonoma County determined who would be on the ballot in November and who in fact won some of the early contests. Is it strange if many of us think that you can’t complain if you don’t vote?

The political process is one filled with challenges, roadblocks and unexpected results.  However, it is the only process we currently have to govern ourselves.  There are numerous people who want to curtail the freedom of citizens to govern themselves.  Some of our “illustrious thinkers” would very much like our civic decisions made by a corps of “wise people” who would know what is best for the people. When these “wise people” get elected, self-determination for the citizen goes out the window.

For example, let’s check in with Hillary Clinton. Hillary believes that social media should be censored and controlled.  She believes that Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 should be changed. This section which was enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 provides limited federal immunity to providers and users of interactive computer services. The statute generally precludes providers and users from being held liable – that is, legally responsible – for information provided by another person, but does not prevent them from being held legally responsible for information that they have developed or for activities unrelated to third-party content. 

Former Secretary of State (and a U.S. Senator) Clinton has emphasized the need for increased regulation of social media platforms, warning that without moderation “we lose total control.”  In a 2024 interview, she advocated for the repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Act which protects platforms from liability for third-party content. 

Why is this information being included in the newsletter.  If you don’t vote these are the people who will determine what is in your life.  We don’t just vote for an individual for a specific office.  We vote for all the “great” ideas that individual will implement. 

The rules of voting have changed radically.  Mail in voting is now the norm in most states.  Voter I.D. is not required in some states and in fact the wonderful California Legislature passed a law that states it is illegal to ask a voter for an I.D. 

Therefore, voters who are serious about their civic responsibility will first of all bank their vote.  That means vote as soon as possible.  Do not wait for election day.  Things happen.  For example, the last congressional election in New York cost the Republicans a House seat.  Too many Republicans waited until election day to vote.  It snowed very heavily on election day and so many voters could not get to the polls.  In the 2020 election, voters in Republican precincts in Arizona waited in line for hours on election day in the heat and surprise! The machines did not work.

Vote as soon as you can after you get your mail in ballot.  Then, if at all possible, take your ballot to the Registrar of Voters Office where all ballots eventually end up to be counted.  The Registrar’s office in Sonoma County is at 435 Fiscal Drive in the County Complex.

Freedom is not free.  It must be constantly guarded and nurtured and most of all treasured.  Voting is a major way to express our commitment to freedom and the continued existence of the United States as a beacon of freedom in the world.