Playing It Safe

I did something Saturday morning that I’ve never done before.

I voted early.

My wife convinced me of the need. Her reasoning was hard to dispute. She feared the possibility we could get an isolation notice due to exposure to the virus and lose our ability to vote on election day. Normally, I am there when the doors open at the First Baptist Church and cast one of the first votes in Grover Township.

I have to say, the choices made it very easy to complete the ballot in a few minutes. Here it was in a nutshell:

The President, the state constitutional question, our congressional seat, state senator, state representative, some judge races, and the county coroner’s race. Proudly, I can say I voted for candidates from both parties. I also voted for unopposed office holders who I believe have done a good job and deserve a vote of confidence.

In my voting life…which stretches back to the 1976 Illinois Primary…I have never voted a straight ticket in a general election. That’s because I evaluate people, their qualifications and their past performance. I don’t march in lockstep with the recommendation of one political party.

I am unapologetically conservative. But even within conservatism, I find nuisances. In other words, one issue is not enough to become a litmus test for me. Voting is the only way to change anything in government. If you pass, you abdicate your responsibility…

…and…you leave it to people like me to decide our fate.