Voting essential to being part of community

I’m old enough to remember a time when adults were the authority on everything. If you were a kid, what you said didn’t really matter, because the adults knew best. As a teenager, this was changing, and authority was being questioned.

Those “in charge” have always been challenged, but the 1960s and 1970s were a time of protests, organized by students, not only in this country but on a worldwide scale in varying degrees. What did the protesters want? Peace and equal rights for all.

So, here I am at 67, and I’m still protesting for peace and equal rights. What happened? Peace is not here, and hope of such gets slimmer by the day. All, except a chosen few, are not treated equally on many levels.

Today, when protests are coming back into vogue, why aren’t more people voting?

We don’t have to look any farther than Boulder City to see the abysmal numbers. In the April 4 primary election, only 3,437 (33.45 percent) out of 10,267 registered voters cast a ballot. Were 6,830 folks too busy to voice their opinions and take responsibility? During the general election in June 2015, out of 9,142 registered voters, only 2,403 (26.3 percent) showed up at the polls.

Before anyone goes patting themselves on the back because 1,034 more people voted recently than in June 2015, think about the fact that there were 1,125 more registered voters in 2017. So, more folks registered to vote between 2015 and 2017, but somebody didn’t vote. There is even a probability that none of them voted. This makes no sense.

We have choices to make in the June election. You can see interviews with the candidates at this link: http://www.bcnv.org/552/Candidate-Interviews. All four candidates have websites and Facebook pages where you can learn more about each of them. If you don’t know what the candidates stand for, it might be a good idea to take a few minutes to learn about their positions on Boulder City before you cast your ballot.

There will also be two questions on the June 13 ballot. The following is the explanation appearing on the city’s website: 1) A question to remove the 30 allotment per development per year limit from the controlled growth ordinance while retaining the 120 allotment per year cap (followed by the question and amendment changes) and 2) An advisory question asking voters if they support an interchange on Interstate 11 at Buchanan Boulevard south of Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (followed by the question).

Don’t simply read about the candidates and think about the ballot questions. Make it a point to vote.

Plan your schedule now. Early voting at City Hall in the council chambers takes place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 31 and June 1 and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 2-3. Voting on June 13 takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the parks and recreation building and King Elementary School. Put these dates on a calendar or in your phone, and do something about voting, like vote.

Maybe you think I’m too “preachy” about voting. Well, I can’t think of any responsibility all of us have that is more important.

I moved here never having seen Boulder City, but I trusted my husband and looked forward to having a home of our own. From the day I moved here 22 years ago, I never felt homesick. I moved from one close-knit community to another.

Knowing so many residents is important. Greeting people on the street and stopping for a conversation matters. Having helped plant 15,000 trees over the years with other Boulder City residents benefits everyone. Volunteering for Boulder City nonprofits has made me a better person and contributed to the community’s sense of caring while helping so many of our neighbors.

Our community can thrive while maintaining its current size and footprint. Quality is the important issue. Working together to solve problems is priority No. 1. Communicating with one another — from the citizens to the council and vice versa — is paramount.

You live here for many reasons. Let everyone know why. Vote!

Rose Ann Miele is a journalist and was public information officer for Boulder City for nine years. She can be reached at roseannrab@hotmail.com or at 702-339-9082.