Voter turnout is historically low, especially for elections that don’t include the topics of taxes or choosing a new president.

An example of this can be seen in the story about the most recent election to choose a member of the Lamar County School Board of Trustees.

Thursday night, close to 1,000 registered voters living within Pearl River County had the chance to cast their ballot for a member of the Board to represent their interests. Only 33 showed up to the polls.

This is just one example of how complacent voters have become, not just in Pearl River County, but across the nation.

However, some of those same people won’t hesitate to complain about the state of the nation, the county Board of Supervisors, their city administration or how their school districts are run. 

Having the right to elect people to represent us in these affairs is a privilege reserved for the people in this world who live in countries with those systems.

We are all aware that there are places in the world where elections are rare or non-existent.

Those areas tend to end up with leaders who don’t make decisions for the best interest of their constituents. So, as a country with the freedoms we still enjoy, it’s essential for as many people as possible show up to the polls and cast their vote for whatever topic is on the ballot.

Next month, residents living within the Pearl River County School District will have an opportunity to cast their opinion on whether the District can increase their taxes to fund a bond that would build additional facilities for the administration, teachers and students. A similar vote was held last year. Only about 1,200 voters showed up to make their voice heard.

Let’s hope even more cast their vote this time around.