Great mystery of Democracy: Why do so few people vote?

Wouldn’t it be something if everyone who talked about the sacred right to vote actually voted?

If they did, more than a third of the registered voters would show up at the polls Tuesday in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties to cast their ballots.

Granted, this is not a “big election.” There are few issues or candidates that have captured the voters’ imaginations. Still, to have only one in three registered voters turn out — and that says nothing about the tens of thousands of people in the tri-county area who don’t even bother to register — is not a good reflection of democracy in action.

Voters have had weeks to avail themselves of early voting, but relatively few have.

There’s still plenty of opportunity to vote. The polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Remember to bring identification, preferably a driver’s license or other photo ID that includes a current address. Those without ID will be able to cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted only if the voter takes a valid ID to the board of elections within 10 days.

Serious business

We encourage voting because The Vindicator takes elections seriously.

Over several weeks in late March and early April, Vindicator editors conducted endorsement interviews with candidates in selected races. Keeping with tradition, the newspaper is not making endorsements in any race in which interviews were not held. The only exception to that comes every four years, in presidential races.

This gives the editors an advantage in evaluating the candidates that many readers do not have. Any individual voter, however, regardless of his or her knowledge of the candidates is free to come to his or her own conclusions. Our endorsements reflect a journalistic tradition that dates back centuries, but they are no more than informed recommendations.

Statewide, there are relatively few contested races in either party. Locally, there are only Democratic primary races.

Our endorsements

These are the races in which we conducted interviews and the endorsements we have made, all of which have been reported in editorials that have run in recent weeks:

Ohio Auditor, Republican, Dave Yost.

Secretary of State, Republican, Jon Husted.

U.S. Senator, Democrat, Lee Fisher.

U.S. House, 6th District

Democrat, Charlie Wilson

Republican, Richard D. Stobbs.

U.S. House, 17th District

Democrat, Tim Ryan

Republican, M.E. “Bing” Henderson.

Ohio Senate, 33rd District, Joe Schiavoni.

Ohio House, 60th District, Robert F. Hagan.

Ohio House, 64th District, Tom Letson.

Ohio House, 65th District, Sean J. O’Brien

Mahoning County commissioner, David Ludt.

Mahoning County auditor, Michael Sciortino.

Trumbull County commissioner, Frank Fuda.

We’ve also made recommendations on a number of ballot issues.

State Issue 1, extending the Third Frontier Program that has created jobs and economic opportunity, especially in high-tech areas. Yes.

State Issue 2, allowing as change in the location of the proposed casino approved in statewide voting in November. Yes.

Important local issues

In Mahoning County, Issue 3 is the renewal of a half-percent sales tax. This piggyback tax costs a nickel for every $10 purchase, but it provides about $13 million that is vital to the county’s ability to provide necessary services, including law enforcement and operation of the courts and jails.

Recent news stories have held some county departments in an unfavorable light, but most officeholders and departments are making a good faith effort to provide public service. Are they perfect? No. But the way to make them better is not to cut income in such a way that would create chaos in the county.

We urge Mahoning County voters to look at the bigger picture, to see that most departments have already made significant cuts and to vote yes to continue collection of the half-percent sales tax for another five years. It will not increase taxes, and it is not a permanent tax.

We also urged voters to view local school and government issues favorably, recognizing that a community’s elected officials, especially those on school boards, are serving at token pay and were elected to do the best they can in providing important services. There is no greater investment a community can make than to invest in the education of the next generation.

And we believe that the 1 percent, five-year, sales tax renewal in Columbiana County and the Senior Citizens levy in Trumbull County and Hubbard library levy merit support.

That’s a summary of what we believe, based on interviews and studying the issues. What’s more important is what you, the voters, believe. But only if you take the time to vote.