Here's your chance to have a say in government

It's primary day -- do you know who to vote for?

Will you vote for the candidate with the best ideas on how to cure our nation's ills or will you vote for the candidate who has done the least amount of mud slinging in trying to get your vote?

Sadly, many people will not vote at all.

I asked members of our community why they don't want to vote. The reasons are many.

They don't want their party affiliation known because their mailboxes will be filled with campaign literature and they will receive annoying phone calls. They think that the early primaries have already chosen the presidential candidates. They don't care who wins. And finally, they think their vote doesn't matter.

If we don't exercise our right to vote we allow others to choose for us, something that our forefathers wanted to eliminate. Before there were primaries, many candidates were chosen by powerful political bosses in back rooms. The government realized that there needed to be a better way of choosing candidates and the primary was created to allow the parties to choose their candidates through a popular vote.

Over the years the primaries have changed. In 1988, a super Tuesday evolved to counter the influence of the early primaries of New Hampshire, Iowa and Florida. Ten states decided to hold their primaries on the same day. Of course, the early primary winners are not always the ones who win the party nomination. Just ask candidates like Gary Hart, Paul Tsongas, Bob Dole and Pat Buchanan. All were early primary winners.

Today, 22 states will hold primaries to choose candidates and select delegates for the political parties. The primary may not be a perfect way but it is the best way we have for the people to have a say in the political process.

There are some in our community who believe in the process. Frances Youssi, an esteemed member of the legal community and a former city attorney, has voted in every primary since he became of voting age. The octogenarian believes that giving the people a say is important and that voting is important. He knows that the process isn't perfect.

"There are some things that bother me in primary voting," he said. "When people cross over to vote against a candidate seems wrong."

He also doesn't like the campaign literature that has taken on personal attacks.

"It doesn't really tell the voters about a candidate's stand on the issues when the literature resorts to personal attacks," said Youssi.

Youusi has been a part of Batavia for most of his lifetime. He has seen the changes in the political landscape. Although one who is more conservative than liberal, he believes the changes in the county are good.

"For many years there were so few Democrats in Kane County that there weren't any democratic candidates on the ballots at all," he said. "Now there are strong candidates running for both parties and that's good for everyone."

And it's good for everyone that we have the opportunity to vote. Study the issues. Vote for your candidate. Have a say in government.