Why don’t we vote for a change?

Elections are the perfect time to ask politicians about unfulfilled promises. However,

many of us tend to forget that an effective way to have our voices heard is not only by reminding political leaders of their broken campaign promises but also by exerting the right to vote and electing a person who might reflect our own views.

Everyone is familiar with the process of casting a vote on Election Day in November, but not many people realize that primary elections are just as important.

As Connecticut’s primary elections approach on August 10, voters should get more informed about the two main types of primaries, closed or open, which determine whether or not they are eligible to vote in the primary.

Connecticut, for instance, has closed primaries, which means that only registered party members who have declared their party affiliation can vote in a primary election.

To help our readers get more familiar with the process and the candidates on the primary ballots, with this issue, we are kicking off a series of articles on the election process, beginning with our cover story on the upcoming primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor.

I believe that we can make more educated decisions if we are better informed about the options we have. So, to increase our voting knowledge, we must research the candidates, the political parties and the overall election, because the

more we learn about each candidate in both the Democratic and Republican races, the easier it will be to make wise choices when casting our votes.

Don’t forget that the primary election gives tremendous power to ordinary citizens – after all, they are the ones who decide the final selection of candidates for each party’s nomination.

With a high percentage of unaffiliated voters in our state, the turnout in the primaries may fall far below expectations.

For that reason, our Secretary of State, Susan Bysiewicz, is running an intense TV and radio campaign to bring awareness and to urge residents in Connecticut to affiliate to one of the major parties and vote in the primaries.

This is our chance to make a difference and choose who will or won’t make it to the November elections.

If we want to be heard, then we must then speak loud and clear by casting our vote.

Don’t wait until the November elections – vote in the upcoming primary race and make a difference this August 10.