Our form of government is in jeopardy. We are not ruled by a monarch nor an emperor. We are a democratic republic. We elect representatives to make decisions for us at the state, local, and national level. But this only works if we, the people, show up to vote.
The low voter turnout in Indiana is particularly troubling. In the 2022 midterm elections, Indiana ranked 50th of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in voter turnout. Indiana also ranks 40th in terms of citizens who are registered to vote. Voter turnout among the state’s youngest voters is particularly low. In the 2022 midterm election, turnout of Hoosier voters between the ages of 18 and 29 was a paltry 14.6%. By contrast, Michigan’s voter turnout in 2022 for the same demographic was 36.5%. I don’t think that Michigan, besides the lakes, is really all that different than Indiana. Clearly, more Hoosiers need to get involved in the process.
But showing up is also not enough. A healthy, functioning democratic republic also depends on a well-informed electorate. It is our obligation as citizens to keep up to date on the current issues and the candidates. And well-meaning, well-informed people can come to different conclusions. We all have different experiences, backgrounds, and ares of expertise. That can be the start of a civil discourse, something that is missing in our current political climate.
It’s not enough to vote for someone just because they have a certain letter next to their name or because they are making promises to us. This probably won’t come as a surprise, but people running for higher office are sometimes not exactly honest with us all of the time. I hate to break this to you, but even “Honest Abe” Lincoln wasn’t above stretching the truth or being more than a little vague. He was, after all, a politician.
That’s why we have to do our homework. We should consult multiple news sources. Watching the same cable news channel or listening to the same radio program will only give us one perspective and reinforce what we already believe. Plus, these outlets are usually trying to sell us something. It is important for us to think critically about the issues, and try to rationally explain our point of view. We need to evaluate the validity of sources, especially those we find online. I don’t think that a Facebook or Twitter post on an issue is worth a bucket of warm spit.
Also keep in mind that many of our foreign adversaries, such as Russia and Iran, are trying to interfere with our elections. They want to spread disinformation and sow distrust in our institutions. That is why we need to evaluate sources and try to corroborate the information we find — make sure that the facts and evidence we have are accurate.
While the top of the ballot gets most of the attention, races closer to home such as school board and county council may have a bigger impact on our day-to-day lives. That requires us to read interviews of local candidates in the pages of this newspaper or go to a town hall. Other races, like the contest for attorney general or whether to retain Indiana Supreme Court justices, don’t get much attention outside of Marion County and legal circles. So this also can require us to do a little more work, perhaps talking to a friend of ours who practices law or reading news sources from Indianapolis.
We’ve got assignments due before election day. The deadline to register to vote In Indiana is Oct. 7. If you are already registered, encourage your friends and family to register as well. I hate to say it because my students groan whenever I tell them this, but also make sure to do your homework.
Aaron Miller is one of The Republic’s community columnists and all opinions expressed are those of the writer. He has a doctorate in history and is an associate professor of history at Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus. Send comments to [email protected].
