I’ve always voted, no matter how bad the choices were in an election. I feel it’s my patriotic duty to make my opinion known otherwise I have no room to complain when things don’t go like I want. Feel free to check my voting record. I’ve missed one election in my life and that was an uncontested primary back when I was in college. Frankly, if I don’t vote I feel guilty.

Why is that? Well, first off, a lot of people have given their lives so that me and you can get into our air conditioned cars, drive over on nice roads to a climate controlled room, walk across carpeted floor and push a couple of buttons on a computerized screen without fear of someone shooting us or burning down our house. Freedom isn’t free even though a lot of people take it for granted as evidenced by the poor turnouts most places have for elections.

Sure, those brave men and women have fought and died to give you the right not to vote if you don’t want to. Just the same as you can burn the American flag and millionaire football players can take a knee before the football game. It’s freedom of expression. Just try looking a World War II veteran in the eye and telling him that you choose not to vote.

Myself, I think voting is not only a right but it’s a duty. For those of us who haven’t served, who haven’t put ourselves in harm’s way, it is the least we can do and I do mean the least. We make it easy for folks now. You have two weeks to early vote so you can come and go at your leisure, usually without lines. Early voting here is at the courthouse, right in the middle of town. It begins for the Democratic Primary today. Then, if you just can’t spare five minutes during that time, there’s an entire day to vote. For the Democratic Primary it’s May 1.

 Now I’m not going to bad mouth you if you don’t vote in the primary. You may have another party affiliation and that’s okay. It is an open primary if you do want to vote, meaning anyone can cast a ballot during the primary.

It’s the folks who won’t go to the polls in August and November who irritate me. They are the very ones who whine and complain about their government but won’t take the time to click a few buttons.

And, bringing it home to a personal level, I have a brother-in-law, Sgt. Charles Allen who stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan back in 2011. He lost both legs and an elbow to the blast and is confined to a wheelchair but wouldn’t you know it, he rolls himself right into the polls every election and uses his good arm to cast his vote. If he can roll himself into the polls I think I can use my two good legs to walk in a do my patriotic duty. You do what you want but as for me, I’m voting every chance I get.

Contact Duane Sherrill at news@smithvillereview.com