Off-year elections are still important

The American civic duty during a midterm election seems to be forgotten in the midst of scandal. Voters have been bombarded with a barrage of "he did this, she said that" when they opened the front covers of their newspapers.

The mud and dirt that gets flung during the election year discourages voters and contributes to the lack of emotion toward politics. In the middle of a "do nothing" Congress, citizens feel that they can do nothing themselves and choose not to vote in a seemingly non-consequential election.

That's the problem. Americans have become apathetic toward the election process because the Congress has created an image that is disagreeable.

In addition, the energy and involvement of a presidential election is missing in the midterm. There isn't a coattail for candidates to ride on. That should make the job of citizenship easier and more appealing, but instead has scared away the people who matter most.

This is a call to action. You cannot complain about the state of your government if you do not become involved. Off-year elections do matter. They decide who will make decisions on your behalf for an extended period of time.

Get informed. Have an opinion. Follow the elections. You won't regret it.

Brian Walters

Mundelein