Exercise your right to vote
For starters, I’d like to say thank you to all who attended the mayoral debate and candidate meet-and-greet last week. Over 180 of you came to be informed on how the current mayoral candidates feel about the current issues facing our city.
Yes, you read that right. I said OUR city. No, I don’t live here, but Grant feels just as much like my home as anywhere else. This city is where I come every day. I work here. I know the people here. I cover the events here. My heart is very much here in Grant, and I care about this community.
There are some great candidates this election, and the only advantage I have in not living here is that I don’t have to decide which candidates to vote for!
Those of you who did not get to attend the debate, the Tribune streamed the entire event and it can be viewed on our Facebook page by clicking here. We also covered the mayoral questions and answers from the debate in this week's issue and those can be viewed by clicking here.
No matter how you educate yourself on how you’re going to vote, please do so. If you have not registered to vote, please do so. You have until May 4 to register for the primary and it’s quite easy. You can do it at the courthouse, the DMV or online.
According to Perkins County Election Officer Rita Long, there are 1,942 registered voters in Perkins County, with 828 of those in Grant.
Election turnout tends to be low in the primary elections, but Perkins County needs you! Two of the four Grant City Mayor candidates and four of the six Grant City Council candidates will be advancing from the primary to the general election.
The Perkins County Hospital Board race will be decided in the primary election, and since there are three republicans and no democrats vying for the Perkins County District No. 2 Commissioner seat, the winner of the primary will run unopposed in November.
Grant and Perkins County need voters in the primary election on May 15!
Not going to be here that day? Fill out an early voter’s ballot on page 10 so a ballot can be mailed to you!
Those of you who attended the debate heard my dad, Russ Pankonin, speak of the importance of voting.
“If you don’t exercise your right to vote, in my opinion, you don’t earn the right to come up and tell these people what you think is wrong with your community,” he said.
I couldn’t agree more. Be a part of the solution, not the problem.
Step one is exercising your right to vote. Educate yourself on the candidates and their platforms. The Tribune will be publishing our candidate spotlight which will feature all primary election candidates in our May 2 issue.
I may be biased, but the local newspaper is a fabulous way for voters and especially candidates to stay up-to-date with current issues in our community.
In-person voting begins Monday, April 16 at the courthouse. I’ll be exercising my right to vote on May 15. Will you?