Many people will have worked and volunteered hard to support candidates and issues. More will have listened and read carefully to inform their votes. Some will have voted straight ticket, some not voted at all, and too many without checking the facts about candidates or issues. 

Post-election, we each have another choice to make: will we remain divided as a straight ticket county, district, state, country? Will we continue to line up and soldier on as Democrats versus Republicans, recruiting unaffiliated independents to pick a side? This either/or approach polarizes people into us/them, right/wrong, good/bad. Next, we’re engaged in disrespect, hate, and then comes physical violence. 

Divide and conquer cannot be our only choice. Between now and the 2024 elections, could we cross boundaries, start conversations, and consider multi- or non-partisan actions? What outcomes could we emphasize? Could we build unity rather than advance division? Listen to each other’s stories, rather than judge one another’s humanity? Examine and research issues of most concern for our county and country?

Let’s not be straight-ticket thinkers. What have we got to lose? It can’t be worse than the paralyzing partisan division growing nationwide over the last several years. It can be better. Less hate/more love.

Marsha Lee Baker

Sylva