The Importance of the November 8 Election

Well, by the time you settle into a comfortable chair and read through the local papers that you picked up at your favorite spot or were delivered to your door, summer will be officially behind us. (Although with the Florida weather, the end of the summer season can be deceiving at times.) 

The 2022 primaries are behind us, and the 2022 elections are in full swing. You will be deluged by flyers in your mailbox, emails on the internet, and if you are lucky, you will also be “robocalled” on a regular basis.

I’m not downplaying the importance of elections. I am hoping that you will all pay attention and make the effort to get out and vote for your candidate(s) of choice. Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility, which goes to the heart of our “constitutional federal republic.”

Through their participation, American citizens are central to making the process a success or a failure. One of our citizens’ greatest responsibilities is the responsibility to “vote.”

I guess that is why at times I show my dissatisfaction with low voter turnout. I think about the number of citizens who have lost their lives in defense of our nation. Whether it was during our “War for Independence,” the Civil War, or the other wars and conflicts up until the present day, the number of lives lost protecting our freedoms are staggering. 

I know that when people proclaim that 29% was a good turnout for the recent 2022 Primary Elections, they mean well. I also know that there is no excuse for that small turnout given the ease of casting a vote today.

It wasn’t until 1971 that the United States voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 years old. Before that, young men could be drafted into service and fight in a war in Southeast Asia without ever having the opportunity to vote. Over 58,000 young men and women were sent into harm’s way by officials whom they were never afforded the opportunity to cast a vote for or against.

We neither require our citizens to vote nor serve involuntarily in the military anymore. However, the responsibility to vote has never been more important than it is today, as we prepare to vote in the 2022 mid-term elections. The elections on Tuesday, November 8 will not only have an impact on the federal level, but also on the state, county and local levels across the nation. 

Laws and legislation being passed in our nation are done so on the city, county and state levels. All levels of government affect each and every one of us; from the water we drink, to the cost of goods and materials, as well as other legislation that regulates aspects of our lives.

Over a few hours last weekend, I had the privilege to spend time with some friends celebrating their little girl’s birthday. Many of those in attendance are residents and work within the city. It made me smile, inside and out, for I watched some of them grow up here in our community. Now they are making a positive difference in our community and raising their own families here.

During the November election, we will cast our votes for three candidates to the Collier County School Board. The election of these three individuals to the five-member board will shape the policies and direction of education in the county for the next four years.

Did you know that the Collier County School Board spends $1.5 billion of your tax dollars? It has the greatest impact on your tax bill. Moving forward, they will dictate the policies directing those we entrust to the system.

In comparison to the school district, the Board of County Commissioners has recently passed a budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23 of just over $700 million.

Another factor to consider when voting for a school board candidate is that Superintendent of Schools Pamela Patton will be retiring after a dozen years. Patton’s replacement for Superintendent will weigh heavily upon this next board, which will be seated after the November 8 election.

Coastal Breeze News will be highlighting the Collier County School Board candidates and City Council candidates in upcoming issues to help our readers make an informed decision at the polls. In addition to our coverage, candidate forums will be held on the island for both the School District and City Council. Your educated vote on these candidates will help to provide a solid foundation for our community.