Your Vote Counts, Make a Difference for America

By Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell

	The power of one.  We hear this phrase associated with many things in our society, as we realize that one thing done in one instance can make the greatest difference in our world.  This is equally true with the votes that you can cast in the upcoming election.  The history of our nation is filled with examples of important decisions and elections determined by one person voting their conscience.  One vote in the Electoral College elected Rutherford B. Hayes to the presidency in 1876, and the man who cast that vote was an Indiana Congressman who himself had been elected by one vote.  President Andrew Johnson was saved from an impeachment conviction in 1868 by the vote of one Senator from Kansas standing up for his beliefs instead of partisanship.  The state of Missouri itself is filled with numerous elections decided by narrow margins, ranging from our recent history to the advent of our state. 

	On November 5, 2002 you have the opportunity to be the one that makes a difference in the course that our state and nation takes.  By participating in the general election, you will be fulfilling your patriotic duty as a citizen.  Our forefathers have entrusted us with this obligation and opportunity, as they truly understood the importance of the voice of the people.  Through their great sacrifices and subsequent movements of reform, the citizens of our glorious nation have the freedom to choose those that guide our country and state and the policies by which we are governed.       

	We in the present must do our part to help our forefathers and ourselves realize this American dream.  In our nation, the power of the government rests in every man and women who participates in the electoral system, not some tyrannical dictator who rules from afar.  Governmental leaders rise and fall not through military coups or violence, but the simple act of each citizen quietly and calmly casting their ballots and voicing their opinions.  This system makes me proud to be an American and proud that through which I have the opportunity to serve the citizens of Missouri on a daily basis. 

	In a time of great patriotic devotion and love for our nation, all eligible voters should feel the need to visit our electoral polls as necessary and automatic. By doing so, we will be making the decisions that will guide the future of our state and our nation.  We alone hold the power to vote for those members of the government whose choices affect our daily lives, a responsibility that many in the world can only dream to share.  Remember that as a citizen you not only have this sacred opportunity, but doing so is a duty and a part of responsible citizenship. Every vote counts and is needed towards ensuring that the voice of the people determines our representative government. Make a difference for Missouri and America on November 5.