Light voter turnout equates to turning backs on freedom

If you are one of 6,148 Hardin County residents who voted Tuesday, we salute you.

If you were one of the 53,206 registered and eligible who avoided the polls yesterday, we encourage you to remain engaged in the election process.

If you are one of several thousand voting-age adults who is not registered, we challenge you to take this freedom seriously.

From the beginning of our nation’s history, our precious freedoms have been a core value. Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, police officers and countless other heroes have died to protect our rights.

Yet, a majority of us can’t be bothered to vote on Election Day.

It would be simple to blame politicians. We are disenchanted with the governmental process or feel unable to influence real change.

It would be simple to blame the candidates. Apart from the Republican gubernatorial primary, the ballot lacked spirited races.

It would be simple to blame life. We live in a frenzied rush with too many urgencies and a lack of time.

All of those would be cop outs. Voting is a matter of personal responsibility and choice.

As a group, politicians will not get better without an interested and involved electorate. The low-profile nature of this primary is due to anticipated low turnout as much as it does meager candidates. And in our hectic lives, we manage to make time for priorities.

Voting simply is not a priority. But it should be.

County Clerk Kenny Tabb shared this sad example. In the Memorial precinct, admittedly one of Hardin County’s smallest, two voters turned out Tuesday in 12 hours. The precinct had twice as many required election workers as it did voters.

When considering the turnout, we must excuse the 5,795 people registered as independent or affiliated with minor parties. Kentucky’s closed primary system prohibited them from taking part in this election.

But for the roughly nine of 10 who did not visit their neighborhood polling place, please take a hard look in the mirror. Or better yet, try to look a veteran in the eye and explain why.

This editorial represents a consensus of The News-Enterprise editorial board.