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It’s just that simple. Vote. It is our civic responsibility to be involved in the selection of all of our elected officials, be they local, county, state or federal. Every single vote matters and counts. Never say “My vote doesn’t matter”, for it does. It is our voice in the direction our nation will take.

In researching the question of how many eligible voters have voted in 2018, 2020 and 2022, according to Pew Research, 37% of citizens voted in all three. When I pondered this number, and recognize that there are a number of reasons, some unrelated, our average turnout pales in comparison to other democracies around the world. And that is both tragic and irresponsible. If the foundation of our democracy is the rule of the people, we are failing to fulfill why we were founded. I would like to think that a presidential election matters to all citizens, and the opportunity to have a say in the outcome would be sufficiently valued that all eligible voters would want to exercise that right. If you are one of the 37% who have voted in the past three elections, please continue your engagement in electing our leaders. If you are one of the 63% who have not, I urge you to set aside the time to vote, to fulfill your civic duty and responsibility to participate in our democracy. It only flourishes when the demos, the people, are involved.

It can be easy to offer the opinion that our leaders are not in touch with our needs. This indictment is not new. I’ve regularly shared the words of King David, who knew something about government, serving as king of the Israelites for 40 years. He wrote the following in Psalm 82 [Siddur Sim Shalom]:

God rises in the court of the mighty, pronouncing judgment over the rulers:

“How long will you pervert justice? How long will you favor the wicked?

Champion the weak and the orphan; uphold the downtrodden and the destitute.

Rescue the weak and the needy; save them from the grip of the wicked.”

But they neither know nor understand; they wander about in darkness while the earth’s foundations are shaken.

I thought that you were Godlike, children of the Most High, but you will die like mortals; like any prince will you fall.

Arise, O God, and judge the earth, for Your dominion is over all nations.

How incredibly perceptive King David was over 3,000 years ago when he crafted this Psalm. What makes it even more remarkable is that this Psalm was set as the Psalm recited at the Holy temple by the Levites on the third day of the week, aka Tuesday. Obviously Election Day in the United States on the first Tuesday in November would have been unknown millennia ago. So the fact that this is still the Psalm we recite on Tuesday, and will recite it on Election Day is profoundly bashert (meant to be). I pray for a good outcome with record turnout, as Americans engage in their future. May God bless and protect America.