Election Day may still be more than a month away, but there are some important dates coming up more quickly that voters need to be aware of. The Southwest Santa Clara Valley League of Women Voters will host two forums featuring local candidates on Sept. 28 and 30; the first day for voters to mail in absentee ballots is Oct. 4; and, most significantly, the final day to register to vote in the Nov. 2 general election is Oct. 18.
Register as a Democrat or register as a Republican, an independent or no party at all—party affiliation is not important. What is important is for everyone eligible to participate in the election process.
There are those potential voters who take a cynical approach when it comes to the privilege of selecting the leaders of our government—who feel their vote doesn't matter. But every vote does matter, especially in an election that features local issues and candidates.
The presidential decision is not the only choice facing voters this fall, at least not in Los Gatos. Local voters will choose between three candidates for two seats on the Los Gatos Town Council this year, and the difference between winning and losing for those candidates could be just a handful of votes.
Millions will vote for their favorite American Idol or The Last Comic Standing , but some among them don't take the time or interest in voting for the leaders of their government. That's unfortunate, since the privilege to vote is the very foundation of our democracy.
Many registered voters are opting to vote by use of absentee ballots, choosing to mail in their election choices rather than going to the polls on Nov. 2. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as voters make informed decisions on local as well as national leaders and issues. The League of Women Voters makes that possible.
The league—along with the Los Gatos Weekly-Times—will sponsor candidate nights to help voters familiarize themselves with those running in local races. On Sept. 28, Los Gatos council candidates Barry Bakken, Barbara Spector and incumbent Steve Glickman will appear in a 6 p.m. forum in the Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, 110 E. Main St. The candidates will face questions from the audience posed by a league member acting as moderator.
Two nights later, on Sept. 30, the league will visit the Baltic Room at West Valley College in Saratoga. That forum will serve the dual purpose of presenting the candidates for the West ValleyMission College board at 6:30 p.m. and Superior Court Judge at 8 p.m.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the League of Women Voters for its dedication to the political process and for its efforts in promoting democracy in action by bringing the issues and the candidates to the public.
The league is doing its part—now it's our turn to do our part. Be an informed voter on Nov. 2. And, first and foremost, be a voter.
