Vote

October 10, 2008Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã'  Ã' Ã' Ã' 

Today's Word : Ã'  vote Ã' - formal expression of opinion or will in response to a proposed decision; a formal expression of a wish, will or choice made by an individual

In just a little more than three weeks, our nation will head to polls to cast votes for individuals, issues and propositions. Will you be among them? Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

We all know there are two kinds of voters. Those who will vote for your candidate and a lot of ignorant prejudiced fools. I think we can all agree this is an exciting period in our lives. There are traditionally two sides to an election issue, but on the issue of voting, I am clearly partisan.

The two opposite sides are those citizens who exercise their right to vote and indeed regard it not merely as a right but as a duty, and those who choose not to be represented in our representative government.

It is guaranteed in our Constitution that one has the right of free speech and free assembly and all the other basic freedoms. How sad it is that many millions of Americans, enjoying the blessings of liberty, will opt out of the fundamental process of free democracy in a free republic.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said "Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves."

People who vote deserve credit for keeping the breath of life in our way of life. Think about this: What might happen if we held an election and nobody came?

Key Voting Milestones:

January 1789 - First Presidential Election held; only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won the election and was sworn into office on April 30, 1789.

February 1870 - Fifteenth Amendment ratified, declaring that citizens cannot be denied the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

August 1920 - Nineteenth Amendment ratified giving women the right to vote.

August 1965 - Voting Rights Act passed, authorizing the U.S. Attorney-General to send federal examiners to register black voters and suspend all literacy tests in states where less than 50% of the voting-age population had been registered or had voted in the 1964 election.

June 1971 - Twenty-sixth Amendment gives voting rights to 18- 20 year-olds.

EARLY VOTING on the dates and at the select Bell County locations listed below:

October 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 - 8 AM to 5 PM

October 25 - 7 AM to 7 PM

October 26 - 12 Noon to 5 PM

October 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 - 7 AM to 8 PM

Ã'§Ã'  Belton - Bell County Courthouse Annex, 550 East 2nd AveÃ' Ã' 

Ã'§Ã'  Harker Heights - Parks & Recreation Center, 307 Millers CrossingÃ' 

Ã'§Ã'  Killeen - Bell County Annex, 301 Priest DriveÃ' Ã' 

Ã'§Ã'  Killeen - Killeen Community Center, 2201 E. Vet. Memorial Blvd

Ã'§Ã'  Temple - Bell County Annex, 205 East Central AveÃ' 

Ã'§Ã'  SaladoÃ'  - Salado Civic Center, 601 North Main Street

November 4, 2008 - Polls open at 7:00 AM; close at 7 PM. Voting at your regular precinct site.

Rotarians are proud of their community involvement.Ã'  The votes that count are the votes you cancount. See you at the polls.

Yours in Service,

SteveÃ' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã' Ã'