Dear voter:

Are you aware that you can vote a “straight” D or R ticket AND ALSO VOTE FOR INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES OF THE OTHER PARTY?

If so, you are in a distinct minority.

Electronic counting machines make this possible.

In other words, you want to vote for all Rs except, for example, commissioner.

Your ballot would reflect those choices.

Why don’t people know they can vote like this?

Why don’t election workers tell voters that they can vote like this?

Sure, it’s on the ballot in small print, but this information should be posted prominently, and told to every voter individually.

How many of you would have voted this way if you knew you could?

Also, do you know you DO NOT NEED A PHOTO ID TO VOTE? If you don’t have a photo ID with you, you can still vote, signing a form saying you don’t have an ID.

How many of you stayed home, or left the polls when you saw signs that said to have your photo ID ready?

I don’t know if our commission outcome would have changed, but I bet the voting totals would have.

We make voting inconvenient and difficult and confusing when it should be just the opposite. Our vote determines our future. We should be fully informed when making our choices.

Cathy LaPointe

Chair, Cass County

Democratic Party

Cassopolis