We live in a nation where freedoms don’t come free, and, once earned, must be rigorously defended and zealously guarded. I wrote in my Fourth of July column that we honor those willing to fight and die to keep our country free.  One of the freedoms that we fight for, defend, and guard is that of voting.

Let me begin by telling what I won’t talk about and what you should and shouldn’t do. I’m not going to tell you how to vote, who to vote for, or what issues you should care about.

However the right to vote and the act of voting ARE things you should care about. The right to vote is a blessing this country offers. All too often we unfortunately take the right to vote for granted and thus ignore doing it. This country’s citizens fought for many years and overcame significant challenges so that men and women of all races and all classes had the freedom and right to vote. 

However, with the freedom and the right come the duty and responsibility to exercise that right.  Ours is a representative government and representatives only represent if citizens vote—or don’t vote.  Not voting has an impact.

You do need to educate yourself about voting. Among other things (and I’ll note that this list isn’t all inclusive) you should know who the candidates are and what their issues are.  You should also know about the issues in general, and the different sides of each.  Make yourself familiar with the incumbents and their areas of concern. 

Investigate their record of accomplishments or voting; ask whether they’re serving you the way you want to be served.  Determine when different elections are held and their impact on you as a citizen.  Understand how the voting system works in local, state, and federal elections.  Most importantly, understand specifically how to vote. 

If you vote locally, know what district you’re part of and how to register to do so.  If you vote in your home state, ensure you know how to register there and order an absentee ballot.  If you do vote absentee, don’t let the ballot sit in the pile of “to do” items on your desk.  Just like taking the initiative to go to the voting booth, take the initiative to mail your ballot.

Voting is precious; don’t take it for granted.  If you need help or have questions, I urge you to contact your voting assistance officer (every command should have one).  The Region Legal Service Office can also provide you direction in obtaining voting guidance.