Early voting creates the rush that comes from taking part in a democracy | Opinion

In praise of voting in America

Today, I used my voice to have a say in democracy.

I voted.

My general election ballot offered several candidates for various offices.

Some names were not familiar. Other names had no opposition.

I pondered if my voting for any or all the candidates would matter.

Ultimately, the choice was mine and mine alone.

After I marked my ballot, scanned it, and turned it in, I felt hopeful about the future.

I realized my patriotic rush will not last long.

Or will it?

Millions of voters between now and Nov. 5 will experience something similar.

We Americans understand that voting is our right, our duty, and our responsibility.

We may forget that casting our ballots can boost our attitudes about our society and its governing body. We feel more connected to our neighborhood, our state, and its electors.

After months or even years of disgruntled opinions and rumblings against the government’s status quo, we do something about it.

Whether or not we will rejoice in the election’s outcome remains to be seen.

May all voters be assured that whatever the outcome is, we will one day vote again.

Change begins at the ballot box.

May it always be so.

Elizabeth Sumner Jones, Columbia

Truth matters in a democracy

During the presidential and vice presidential debates both sides complained about fact checks. Here is a good fact: Don’t lie and fact checks won’t matter.

Most debaters paint a beautiful picture of what they are going to do and a bad picture of what their opponent will do.

But they don’t give a unit of measure as to how their concepts will promote the betterment of society.

The best example I have heard about achieving an objective in government is that we try three different concepts in various metropolitan areas, study the results, then others can follow the most successful concept.

We as citizens really do expect the truth from our government leaders.

When someone lies to you they don’t mean you any good.

They consider you as being naïve and gullible if you believe what they say.

They disrespect you.

Whatever policies they implement are based on false information and are bound to be ineffective.

Truth matters, America.

James Muldrow, Columbia

Mental health and the ballot box

Whenever there is a shooting, policymakers talk about improving mental health, but many representatives have voted against mental health funding in schools.

The real tragedy though is the loss of human potential.

There are not many services for adults on the autism spectrum, and there is a lot of confusion about autism and intellectual disabilities.

Many adults on the spectrum with college degrees have difficulty securing employment after graduating, as vocational programs tend to leave them to fend for themselves.

It is also challenging to get a correct diagnosis, as testing for adults is expensive.

Lower income people, especially minorities, are more likely to be misdiagnosed.

Community-based mental health centers unfortunately provide what is essentially palliative care.

There are many qualified doctors, but they simply can’t provide patients with the level of care they need due to lack of resources in the community.

Mental health is more than a pill and an insurance code.

It’s about having access to vocational training, education, affordable living and independence.

Regardless of a person’s diagnosis, most people want to be involved with the community.

Bad policies kill people.

Voters need to know exactly how candidates will improve mental health for all South Carolinians.

Ruth Taylor, Spartanburg

This story was originally published October 27, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Early voting creates the rush that comes from taking part in a democracy | Opinion."