Today less than 50% of eligible voters are expected to take advantage of the opportunity to vote for leadership from the local to the national level.  This disappoints me because all year long we hear complaints from residents about what our elected leaders are either doing or not doing.  On Election Day we have the chance to retain leaders or select new ones.  The voting booth is one of the most powerful tools every citizen has to exercise their right to free speech and to elect the candidate that best represent their values and hopes for our country.

In our local elections the offices of County Commissioner, School Board, City Council for Cumberland and Mayor of Cumberland were the subject of great interest.  All of these offices have been criticized in the past two years for things they have done and things they have left undone.  All of us have to take responsibility for the results of our actions.  So for those people, who did not vote, do not blame the elected leaders solely for what is happening.  Your lack of participation in the election process is also one ingredient of the situation and it is one ingredient for which you can take personal responsibility.