Editorial and Opinion Page

     In the blink of an eye, it is almost election time again. For some reason, Americans focus primarily on the presidential elections while not thinking twice about voting for the midterm elections. It is vital for Americans to use the privilege that their ancestors fought for and vote in this election. During the midterm elections, a third of the one hundred Senate seats are up for grabs. This means roughly 35 of the Senate seats will need to be filled which is precisely why these elections are so important. Not to mention all 435 seats of the House of Representatives will be contested. 

     It may be hard for some to imagine why filling these seats would be so important. It is important because the political parties that control the House of Representatives and/or the Senate will be the political party in control of the agenda. The House of Representatives has various powers assigned exclusively to them. The House may initiate revenue bills, elect the president in the case of an electoral tie, and impeach a president. The House also has the power to create a bill and if approved, in turn, create and establish a law. This is where the Senate comes into play. To establish a law, it must be approved by the Senate. The Senate also is able to take action on treaties, nominations, and amendments. 

     Currently, Democrats have control of the House by a slim margin; they now have a 222:212 seat advantage. The congressional map is in favor of Republicans and has a chance of winning back the House. It is important to mention the recent Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. As a result, many states have implemented laws restricting and banning abortions. This change has opened the eyes of all parties to vote, especially Democrats; this may play a role in the upcoming elections in favor of the left side. Recent mass shootings have also raised questions about the second amendment. This will likely be another factor citizens consider while casting their votes as many Democratic candidates focus on restrictions for gun laws and many Republican candidates focus on protecting the right to bear arms. 

     As time progresses, Democrats and Republicans seem to grow farther away from each other in regard to policies and rights. It becomes more difficult to converse with opposing political parties or hear them out. Social media slanders both the left and the right while newspapers and websites alter the truth. Americans from both sides must understand that the parties do have a lot in common; although they may take different approaches, there are people on both sides who truly do want peace, equality, and justice. 

     On November 8th, consider voting, and proactively choose kindness. Your vote matters, your voice matters, and most importantly your empathy and kindness matter. Please take all of this information into consideration while learning about candidates and submitting votes for this election. 

     The majority of Americans are guilty of only emphasizing nationwide elections; that is, the midterm that takes place every two years and the highly anticipated presidential election that occurs every four years. This should not be the case because citizens are given an exceptional opportunity to vote in local elections and to attempt to improve their own community, rather than being obsessed with the mainstream media that constantly feeds viewers with information about high-profile politicians over which average citizens have no control. 

     Receiving information about local elections can be difficult. That is why it is important to receive information from government or local news websites. This information is not always accessible online; therefore, people can call, email, or even visit a government office. Citizens can begin this process by contacting their local city hall because they will most likely be able to provide details about who to contact. Unfortunately, sources may not contain the correct election results either. Some sources may be out of date, and there may even be a mistake in the website’s data. In this case, an individual can reach out to an election official with any questions.

     It is unfortunate that even having a basic knowledge of local candidates and the results of a local election can be confusing and complicated. Most local sites should attempt to dedicate a category to informing residents about the current politics and politicians in the community, considering most people don’t cast a vote in local elections because the information is extremely brief. This should be alarming to citizens and needs to change because oftentimes people will complain about what is going on in their community, rather than actually doing something about it. Therefore, a local election is a strong starting point.