Now we know this upcoming election season isn’t as big as last year’s presidential election, but that does not mean we should fall into complacency.
Here, on the local level, is where voting can make a difference and affect our lives on a deeper level, whether it’s electing officials into the school district that your children attend or voting for King County Executive.
Voting doesn’t have to be boring. Have some fun with it. Parents can create an informal lesson for their children by explaining what each candidate aims to accomplish.
This is a good activity because not only does it plant the seed for kids in future civic involvement, but adults may learn new things in the process.
For many of us, election season is also a good time to take a step back and reevaluate our positions. We encourage everyone to do this. The King County Executive race is especially interesting this year, with many well-known candidates who have diverging viewpoints.
It’s easy to write off people who don’t share the same beliefs and ideals, but we must remember that many Asian Americans left the country they were born in due to such restrictive and dangerous thinking.
It’s a great thing that we all have different points of view and are allowed to voice them. We encourage all of our readers to politely engage in conversation with someone who has differing political stances. What you hear may surprise you — in a good way.
It is a privilege that we get to choose our leaders, so we shouldn’t squander this away. Sure, people will say, “It’s just the primaries! It doesn’t really matter.” But it does matter.
There won’t be an immediate effect in casting a vote, but what is important is what it symbolizes. When people vote, it means they are engaged in their community, it means they put in effort to become informed of what’s going on, and it means they care about their society.
The primaries and special elections are just around the corner. Don’t forget to mail in or drop off your ballots next week on Aug. 18. This year, you can track your ballot packet online. ♦