Letter: Voting isn’t just a right, it’s a responsibility
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sage Mack, 19 (right), drops her ballot in the ballot box and casts her first vote ever with her sister CoCo Mack (left). Lines and wait times were long at the Democratic caucus at Clayton Middle School as both registered party members and unaffiliated voters cast their ballots, Tuesday, March 22, 2016.
Rep. Deidre Henderson, in her June 3 column “The right to vote is key to democracy,” correctly stresses the importance of our right to vote. But she does not go far enough to say that it is not only a “right” but, more important, it is a “responsibility.”
If no one voted, we would not have a democracy (representative democracy, that is). Or, if our votes became a sham — witness Venezuela — we would not have a democracy.
Refusing to vote and not accepting and supporting the outcome of that vote are as damaging to our political way of life as Russia’s intrusion into our election system.
Errol Remington, Salt Lake City
sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.
Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.
You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.