Votes counted: Turnout was good, but vote needs to be fair, reasoned

More than 70 percent of Wayne County's registered voters made sure they cast a ballot in the 2008 presidential election.

And that number is extraordinary -- especially when you look at the numbers generated in other areas of the country.

That says something about the future of this community and the understanding many people have about the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen.

But the high turnout itself is not enough to silence critics of the future of American democracy.

And the main reason for that is there are still lingering doubts all over the country about who cast some of those ballots Tuesday and what brought people to the polls.

We would like to hope that it really was a reasoned, thoughtful evaluation of the issues and then a vote for the candidate who best represented those values.

We would hope that the votes were cast only once and in an honest manner.

But the problem is that there are already questions about one-stop voting and early voting all over this country -- and while the answers will not affect this election, the question is one that needs to be examined.

Voting is not something that should be used as leverage or as a chance to cheat. It is a right -- and a responsibility.

The idea is for citizens to educate themselves and then proceed honestly to the polls. There should be no tolerance from either party for those who do otherwise.

Let's hope before 2012, someone decides this issue deserves more than lip service.

That way, a mandate will really be a fair and just win.

Published in Editorials on November 7, 2008 10:47 AM