Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column of those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.
Monday was Memorial Day, the day we see many tributes to our fallen soldiers, who gave unselfishly so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have. Truth be told – all of them, the living veterans and those who are actively serving are certainly worthy of thanks year round. Especially those that have come home from fighting on our behalf.
But today isn’t Armed Forces Day, which happens in May – it’s not Veterans Day, which is in November, Those days honor us that are still living.
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Memorial Day recognizes those who died while serving in the U.S. military.
I know for lot of people – Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of the summer. We must not forget the past, the truth that too many of our forefathers and ancestors made sacrifices on our behalf, and those same truths continue to this day.
So, make sure to thank a veteran when you see one – make sure to take a silent moment of prayer in memory, of those that have fallen, and most importantly, thank the Almighty that we have an opportunity to live in the greatest country on Earth.
Freedom isn’t free – the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance, this from Thomas Jefferson
Now let’s talk elections
I’m not going to give a whole lot of insight to how I truly feel this week…. don’t worry it’s coming, I just need to figure out the best way to put those words together.
Let’s all congratulate the Richmond County and Columbia County boards of elections for running a flawless election. I use the words flawless because compared to other places, it seems like we really have the best around. They put lots of energy in customer service and election integrity.
After we get done with the run-off, I will tell you about something that happened and the masterful way Richmond County Board of Elections handled it. All parties were happy with the outcome, and it truly showed the level of integrity the local elections people have.
Now getting to the nitty gritty of it all – the common thought is whoever comes in second always wins the runoff. This does happen often but not all the time. I can take you back to recent history – to one of the biggest elections in Augusta…. the 2012 primary sheriff’s race.
Let that sink in for a moment!
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All I’m saying is, we have three major races that will have some level of draw. The mayor’s race, District 10 race and District 2 all have runoffs. Of course, there are some state level races that will spark a little interest- but if you ask most people, they really don’t have clue who is running.
Which goes to my next point – voter turnout was horrendous. It didn’t even reaching 30%. T hat should provide a level of embarrassment for our entire community. With so many people speaking about wanting change wanting change, yet our numbers show basically only one out of every four voters cared enough to go vote.
So my question for you is – why? I hope some of you will take the time to answer me below in the comments. Why would people not feel the urge to vote in any election, but especially in one as important as this one? I was always told the municipal elections are held early in the year – because they always expect a lower turnout. This would give that good old boy crowd a level of advantage in running the city. They always knew the numbers would be low and therefore as the city leadership changed, there could still be some level of control.
Maybe there’s some merit to that? Think about this if it’s for non-partisan seats, why isn’t the school board the same time?
Now on a little larger scale – larger in the in reference to state elections. How did Kemp and Raffensberger put a whooping on those candidates the way they did. I was pretty sure that Republicans were real mad about the election – maybe they weren’t mad enough or are people tired of Trump?
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This all will play out come November when the main attractions hit the ballots – governor and of course U.S. Senate – Warnock vs. Walker. These races will definitely be bangers, and the crowds will be out for that. The level of excitement is already shaking up the community – with Walker making appearances from time to time. It will not be an easy walk for either – hearing locals talk – all of the GOP is not sold on Walker and there are some blacks who are not going to vote for Warnock. (I’m using that terminology to break it down in a visual sense – that’s how it was explained to me.)
One more thing on this local stuff – this past election also showed us in this community that anyone is vulnerable. Anyone could win an election, and by no means am I saying that the winners or front runners are not worthy. I’m simply saying with turnout being so low ….elections can go any direction.
Which is why we understand this upcoming November election will have its own set of surprises in store. Look for some announcements coming in reference to school board seats and candidates attempting to unseat people….it should get interesting.
Speaking of interesting – Sylvia’s column was jaw dropping as she talked about the pending litigation against the mayor. However as she covered the civil proceedings she missed the fact that – here I go getting ahead of myself again.
Michael Meyers is a columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at Michael.meyers@theaugustapress.com
