Vote but not blindly

Dear Editor,

Way back in 1971, the year I turned 18, the U.S. lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. This change was probably prompted by the fact that 61 percent of the more than 58,000 Vietnam casualties were 21 years old or less.

I asked my mother which party i should register with and she said Democrat. Her answer was not because of any political ideology but simply because most all candidates in Oklahoma in the 70’s were Democrats. If you wanted a say in who would represent you, you most likely needed to vote in the Democratic primary.

Fast forward to 2024, only Republicans have a say in who is elected in eastern Oklahoma. Our most recent election numbers show that many people are apathetic and not voting at all, but 46 percent of Sequoyah County registered voters (all non-Republicans) were not even allowed to vote, as all positions were determined in the closed Republican primary.

The winners of these elections have a major impact on our daily lives. Things like the education of our children, the future and quality of our rural hospitals, programs to assist our families in crisis, water and air quality and many, many more issues will be addressed (or not) by these officials.

The young people in the 60’s and 70’s who lost their lives in Vietnam had no say in their elected officials. We do and should vote in every election, but not blindly. Please listen to the candidates with an open mind and, if you are getting all your information from only one place, branch out and listen to other news sources.

MARGARET KEATON

SALLISAW