Before I get to the main topic of this column, I want to mention that the long-time email address that I have used throughout the technological age of this newspaper has died. I established: [email protected] when we first got email. David Ramazan at Ramco Technologies On Line was the provider. We kept that email even after we established our bcn-news domain in 2006. Unfortunately, David passed away a few years ago and I really don’t know what happened to the company.
The email continued to work, so we have utilized it along with our: [email protected], in fact both have always came to the same inbox of my computer. Well, the inevitable happened, and last week the [email protected] stopped functioning. So, if you want to correspond with me or the paper, via email, please send everything to [email protected]. I imagine it will be months before I fully realize what may have gotten lost in cyber space.
The 2024 election will probably be in the books by the time you read this. I certainly won’t miss the mudsling ads which are probably worse than most years.
Jeanine and I voted early, as is our practice. It’s just a lot more convenient. As I was voting I made an interesting observation.
I am a registered Democrat, though let me say, I have never voted a straight ticket in my life. I vote for those who I think will do the best job with the least amount of personal interest and excess baggage. Sometimes, picking a candidate that fits that criteria from the names on the ballot is difficult.
When I registered to vote, more than 50 years ago, there were five registered democrats to every republican in Braxton County and about the same in West Virginia. Most of the decision making was in the primary, since republicans seldom contested in the earlier election. So, if you were going to play a part in choosing our elected officials, you simply had to get your hands on a democratic ballot in the primary.
I noticed when I voted last week that had simply reversed. Most of the contests are taking place on the republican ticket during the primary. For example, there are several republicans running for governor, with only one true contender on the democrat ballot. In the fall, I will only be able to vote for either the democratic, independent or republican nominee. That may or may not be who I feel is the best candidate vying for the office. The same is true in many of the other races.
The democratic nor the republican party stands for what they did in my parents and grandparents’ day. I don’t feel I follow either party as they line up today. What I do follow is what is best for our country and West Virginia, not the political party, its allies or the elected representative. But even with that said, I might have to rethink my voter registration in two years… I want to have input in the process… good or bad it’s the American way and I do support that!