Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
“It’s not an election year.”
A common remark used conversationally in both a serious and satirical matter, including, admittedly, by yours truly.
Why was the Pioneer Days Parade smaller than last year?
“It’s not an election year.”
Why don’t we currently seem to see politicians catering to whatever seems to be the popular groupthink at the time as much as we did, in say, 2020?
“It’s not an election year.”
But while we may not be casting our votes for President of the United States, or a seat in Congress, or the Governor of a state, that statement is patently false.
It is an election year. And while the media hype around local elections doesn’t come close to rivaling a presidential or midterm year, the choices voters make in August and November are even more likely to impact their everyday lives than choosing Trump or Biden, Inslee or (insert that year’s Republican candidate here) or another federal or state race that King County is going to decide every cycle.
These are the local races for city and town councils, school boards, hospital boards and more. And in the August primary, the municipalities of Harrington, Sprague and Odessa have important decisions to make regarding their councils and, in Odessa’s case, their mayor.
After all, councilmembers ultimately make decisions on the city or town’s future.
Frustrated with junky yards on your block? Council has the authority to change ordinances to better discourage such behavior.
Does a major retailer want to build on city land? Council decides whether or not that’s going to happen.
Will local tax dollars paid to the city be used to support local nonprofits, city well rebuilds and to fill that pesky pothole on your city street? Joe Biden, Jay Inslee or Cathy McMorris Rodgers don’t decide that. Council decides.
But unfortunately, statistics show that voters are far less likely to fill out a ballot than in an even year with federal and state races on the line.
46.35% of Lincoln County voters submitted a ballot in the 2021 general election, compared to 87.87% in 2020. 57% of voters turned out for the 2019 general election, a sharp decline from the 79% turnout in 2018.
This would be a great year to buck that trend, with important council races on the Aug. 1 primary in Harrington, Odessa and Sprague that will decide the final two candidates for the general election. And more contested races loom for local councils, school boards and fire commissioners in November.
So if you seek to have a voice in who represents you and your small city or town, I encourage you to fill out and submit your ballot by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1.
— Drew Lawson is the managing editor of the Lincoln County Record-Times. Email him at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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