For months now we’ve been inundated with newspaper articles, televised ads, news reports, debates, and rallies. And our county and state voter information guides arrived weeks ago. Different means, mediums, and methods, all with a common purpose. To prepare U.S. citizens for an important day. That day arrives tomorrow. The midterm elections of 2026.
From my journal: October 7, 2026, Newbury Park, California
“…filled in our (vote by mail) ballots today…so much to vote for – governor position, state & judicial offices, county seats…and 14 measures…”
Yes, there was a lot to read, consider, and think about regarding this election, but that’s true for all elections. I don’t take this right, this privilege, this duty lightly. I don’t know anyone who does. As an adult U.S. citizen, each one of us has the job to support our nation’s Constitution, stay informed on issues, abide by our local, state, and federal laws, and respect the beliefs and opinions of others. Each one of us has the responsibility to vote.
I’ve written about my experiences as a voter and a poll worker in my The Right to Vote, A Responsibility, Be Heard, and The Best Person for the Job posts. I feel strongly about exercising this right ever since I was old enough to make my opinion count. Before each election, I think of my mom’s comment. She said you can’t complain about who’s elected if you didn’t vote. Absolutely. As ballots are cast and votes are counted, I’d like to share words, thoughts, and feelings from other fellow Americans on the importance of participating in this democratic process.
“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Voting is a civic sacrament.” – Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C.
“Every citizen of this country should be guaranteed that their vote matters, that their vote is counted, and that in the voting booth, their vote has as much weight as that of any CEO, any member of Congress or any President.” – Barbara Boxer
“It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting.” – Tom Stoppard
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” – John Quincy Adams
“Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.” – Sydney J. Harris
“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” – Thomas Jefferson
“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country and this world.” – Sharon Salzberg
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” – Abraham Lincoln
“A man without a vote is a man without protection.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King, Jr
The day to be heard, to cast our ballot, to vote is here. The power to do so is literally in our hands.
