#1130 – Dick Bernard: West Virginia, and on we go.

Last Tuesday, I gave personal impressions of the Presidential Primary season as of the day of the Indiana Primary Election, May 3. At the beginning of that post (here) are a few comments in response to the May 3 post.
Yesterday were the West Virginia and Nebraska primaries. Yes, there was a Presidential Primary in Nebraska…results listed for the Republicans; but none for the Democrats. Under apparent Nebraska rules, this seems legitimate, still rather odd. Here’s the report I searched out today; I could find nothing about the “election” at the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office.
On we go.
There remain six months before the elections in November.
A challenge:
Without checking, take a piece of paper and write down on it all of the elected officials who you think represent you currently.
This would include the names of those in offices like Governor, your local legislator and Senator, your U.S. Senators, your Congressperson.
Then check your data against the facts, most likely easily found at your state’s Secretary of State’s website.
Write down who these folks are, and make it a point to learn a little bit more about them. You have plenty of time, but as you know, time flies.
Check out other data about the 2016 election: what offices are up for election this year; who the announced candidates are etc. The Secretary of State’s office is a good place to start. Every state is different.
How does one register to vote? Timetables? Declared candidates? You’ll probably find them there, if not at this moment, fairly soon.
Or, just check with someone at your City Hall, or County administration office, or even a friend or neighbor you respect. They will be very helpful.
In my state, Minnesota, the Secretary of State’s website is here.
An long-standing excellent source of non-partisan information is always the League of Women Voters (LWV). Most states have their own LWV affiliate. Minnesota’s is here.
I often hear people say they detest “politics”.
The essence of “politics” is the people who participate in the process.
We are all “politics” Here are some definitions of the word. It is just the matter of our participation, or non-participation, in the political process that will make the difference.