Exercise your right to vote

Primary Election Day is May 6, with early voting running from April 24 through May 3.

With all of the political brouhaha about alleged voter fraud and voter suppression, some voters may be feeling edgy about going to their polling place this year.

As an election judge, let me assure you that the poll workers’ political views cease at the doors to the polls.

It makes no difference whether poll workers are Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, or members of some other party. At the polling sites they have one and only one mission: to assure that every eligible voter is given the maximum opportunity to exercise his or her voting rights under existing law.

There are also people who say it makes no difference who you vote for because they are all corrupt and only represent the rich.

This I can assure you. By staying away from the polls you are playing into the hands of those who would love to see our democracy become the pawn of only the rich and powerful.

Look at citizens around the world who live under non-democratic regimes. These folks are desperate to vote. When given the chance to exercise this right, many walk miles to voting places and camp out because they are determined to make their vote count. They face down people with guns to vote. They will not be intimidated. They stand in lines in desert heat and torrential rains to cast their vote. They know voting is a sacred right and they will not give in to those who wish to deny them that right.

America has gone through cycles of corruption in government. But, even in our darkest days reformers have risen from the ranks and pushed through progressive legislation that gave control of our democracy back to “we the people”. It has happened again and again in our history, but it will only happen through your votes.

You don’t have to vote for every candidate in every election. Vote for those candidates you know and trust to represent you at each level of government. Make your right to vote count. Let the naysayers have their say. That’s their right in our democracy. Then you have your say at your polling place.

Please vote.

Alan Wagner is a long-term resident of Buncombe County. He lives in the Weaverville area with his wife, Carol. He is a Democratic election judge for the 2014 elections.