LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Civic engagement is more than voting

As I write this, my team and I are monitoring state, local and federal elections and the polls are sill open. There’s some crazy stuff on the national outlets’ websites and enough vitriol on social media to make the entirety of the cold war look like a disagreement on where to get dinner.  

As you’re reading this, though, the elections are pretty much done. We have presumed results while we’re waiting for the various canvasing and certifications to happen. We know who will represent us in a variety of roles from the Oval Office down to the county courthouse.  

If you voted — thank you. If you didn’t vote — please consider doing so next time the opportunity arises. The Columbia Basin Herald doesn’t endorse anyone or any measure outside of those that may impact the First Amendment and how it is applied to our readers and ourselves.  

That said, now elections are done for the most part — barring legal challenges.

I think, that being this case, this is a good time to consider becoming involved in your communities on a level that maybe you hadn’t considered before. Voting is just one part of our civic duty to one another. We also have classrooms that could use parents, grandparents and others volunteering in them. We have nonprofits trying to ensure that the less fortunate in the community have something to eat each day. We have neighbors who live alone and could use a friendly smile. Now that the election is done, some of our communal attention span can be pulled from the politics to the people around us.

I’d also encourage the community to go to public meetings such as your local school board or city council. The Grant County Public Utility District is making decisions that will impact every one of the residents of the county on some level. Adams County’s commissioners are working to figure out how to get the county jail opened back up without sacrificing safety. Your feedback, attention and learning about those issues is important. We cover as much of those things as we can but seeing it in person shows the folks that you elected that you do care about what they’re doing.  

If you go to those meetings, don’t forget to bring your children. Yep. They’ll be a bit bored, but a dose of civic education is never a bad thing.  

America isn’t about the donkey or the elephant in the long run. It’s about the people living under the Stars and Stripes lifting one another up that makes this country — including the Columbia Basin — a wonderful place to live. 

Take care of one another, and let’s get ready for an amazing Thanksgiving. I think, after the drama of election season, we’ve all earned an extra helping of turkey and a nap while the football game plays in the background. 

With appreciation for a great community, 

R. Hans “Rob” Miller
Managing Editor