Maintaining a democracy is not easy, John. It requires constant attention and vigilance from all who participate to make sure it continues year after year.
But one of the easiest, and frankly, most important ways to protect our democracy is to vote. Your vote alone is the deciding factor in how our country is led, the party that earns governing control, and the future we envision for us all.
That’s why days like today are so critical to our democracy. Today, we celebrate National Voter Registration Day – a day in which volunteers and community leaders across the country help every last eligible voter make a plan to use their voice at the ballot box.
Right now, our country is at a crossroads. Every day, we’re faced with far-right extremists who are spreading falsehoods and misinformation about our democracy and our right to vote.
And right here in Ohio, we have some dangerous voices looking to wreak havoc on our democracy come November. Anti-voter candidates line the Republican ticket, from the Governor’s race to the State House and Senate races. We even have someone running for Congress in OH-09 who participated in the January 6 insurrection to overturn our free and fair election results.
If there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s that democracy is fragile, and it requires all of us to do our part to make sure it never breaks under the pressures of those who want to manipulate it to benefit themselves.
As a Cuyahoga County Council member and Chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, Shontel Brown has spent the last decade serving the people of Ohio and building coalitions. Now, as the Congresswoman for Ohio’s 11th District, she will fight for affordable quality health care, jobs that pay fair wages, a strong public education system, and equity and justice for all. Will you join her and be the change we need?
