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If you're really patriotic, you'll be sure to vote
With less than a week to go before the election that we keep hearing is the most important in American history, everyone who's eligible should be making plans to vote.
If you've already cast your vote during one-stop voting, good for you. If not, early voting continues through Saturday, so you still have time to avoid the rush on Election Day.
We don't disagree that this is an important year to cast your vote, but that's because we believe every election is the most important. Voting is a privilege we enjoy both because of the sacrifice and courage of our nation's founders and because of the doggedness of those who came after and struggled to extend the vote to all citizens – even the ones who were initially disenfranchised by the constitution.
Our nation's leader, our state's governor, one senator, our congressman, our state senator and our state representative will all be elected next week. In addition, a number of Council of State positions are up for grabs.
Jackson County voters on Tuesday can have a say in how justice is delivered at every level in North Carolina, with judgeships from the district level all the way to the state's Supreme Court at stake. In addition, it's likely that the next president will have the opportunity to appoint one or more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
And, for the first time since the 19th century, North Carolinians have a chance to vote for a fellow Tar Heel. U.S. Sen. John Edwards is the Democratic candidate for vice president. Edwards has a real local connection to Jackson County voters: he was born just across the state line in Oconee County, S.C.
If none of the above is a good enough reason to get you headed for the polls on Tuesday, you should consider doing your part to further the cause of democracy to be your civic duty. If you consider yourself a patriot, then you should feel obligated to vote.
Patriotism is a word that's been in the news almost constantly for the past three years, and it seems to have become one more wedge issue. Real patriotism, we believe, means expecting America to deliver on all its promises to all its citizens and electing leaders who will have the vision and courage to keep this nation moving toward liberty and justice for all.
The leaders elected Nov. 2 will determine both our nation's and our state's course over the next four years. Don't let others decide who will make the decisions that matter.
It's your future. Vote for it.
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