Primary non-voters face choices others created

I have to vent. I haven’t heard the final voter turnout for the 2026 Primaries, but by mid-day Election Day it was 19%. I can actually see my polling place from my desk and I didn’t see a Woodstock-like line of cars entering the parking lot in the afternoon, so I doubt the percentage changed much.

I was actually hopeful we’d have a respectable turnout because when I went to early vote, there was a line. I can’t tell you how many primaries in which I’ve voted (that would be all but one in the 40-plus years I’ve been eligible to vote) where it was just me and the election workers in the polling place. This time there was a line.

But, no, only one out of five eligible voters turned out to vote. Now we’re on to the general election where we’ll hear the calls of “there’s no one to vote for.” To those who say this, where were you during the primary election?

There were candidates representing the full spectrum of viewpoints. I think I’m going to get a sign that reads “to the four out of five voters who didn’t vote in the primary, I hope you like my choices, because my voice was heard and yours wasn’t. Thank you for letting me vote for you. BTW, I’m a screaming liberal.”

Yes, democracy is work. You have to research the candidates to see whose values are closest to yours and ignore the constant stream of “almost-true” ads. (You doubt me? If you believe the ads, even a candidate endorsed by Bernie Sanders was MAGA/ But that’s a different letter to the editor …)

Mary Hunter

Carpentersville