Publicado el 08-13-2012
People Must go
Out to Vote this Tuesday
This Tuesday, August 14th, the state of Florida is holding primary elections for the Democratic and Republican parties as well as local and state elections in the different municipalities and counties.
As it has always done, DIARIO LAS AMERICAS urges its readers who are registered voters to go to the polls and vote. Unfortunately in primary, local and state elections voter turnout is not great. And this is a mistake. Every election is important, since it is the only opportunity that a citizen has to participate in some way in his government.
In the last few weeks, the media in Miami-Dade County has been commenting about fraud with “absentee ballots”. These are ballots mailed to individuals who because of health problems or physical disabilities, or because they know they will be out of town on election day, can not vote in person. The voter has to fill the ballot, put inside a special envelope which he signs on the outside and afterwards mail it to elections office. Unfortunately some unscrupulous individuals have been filling the ballots for many elderly individuals who either do not understand them or who are not too interested because they do not know the candidates, and afterwards take the ballots with them to mail them. One thing is that someone help you or explain to you the good or bad points about a candidate or a question and another that this individual, who is not the registered voter, fill-in the ballot. What has happened affects the prestige of the electoral process and this is very detrimental for democracy. Hopefully, measures will be taken to prevent further irregularities.
Registered voters for both parties must go to the polls this Tuesday, if they have not already voted in early voting or by mail, so that the winning candidates be elected with as many votes as possible. Voting strengthens democracy and is not only a right but a duty.
The civic and political culture of the people should respond in every election. If voter turnout is not reasonably numerous, the outcome of the election is not sufficiently representative of the will of the people.
On Sunday’s editorial, DIARIO LAS AMERICAS recommended voting for Carlos Giménez for Mayor of Miami-Dade County and for Pedro J. García as Property Appraiser.
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