Choosing to vote is the most important primary decision

e-mail this story discuss this issue in our forums Guest column • Jenny Sanford: Better health choices mean savings, better quality of life for South Carolinians (02/10/04) • Ed Leap: Tyrannical parents prey on guilt of adult children (02/09/04) • David Shi: Blackwell helped Furman spread its wings (02/07/04) • Dr. Mark O'Rourke: Increase the cigarette tax for the right reason (02/07/04) • Rep. Thomas G. Keegan: Funding university research helps state's economy (02/06/04) More details Joe Erwin of Greenville is president of Erwin- Penland, the largest marketing firm in South Carolina, and he is chairman of the state Democratic Party. South Carolina holds its first-in-the-South Democratic presidential primary Feb. 3. All seven candidates seeking the nomination will join moderator Tom Brokaw for a debate at the Peace Center on Thursday.

It will also remind the world that free elections are a cornerstone of our democracy, and demonstrate that our political process — while not perfect — is the most fair and inclusive system in existence.

Each of us has a role to play in this process, the easiest and most patriotic act of citizenship anyone can take.

Get out and vote.

South Carolina's "First-in-the-South" primary on Feb. 3 affords the individuals in our state an opportunity to have a dramatic effect on this year's presidential race. By narrowing the field of Democratic candidates, we can help shape national policy by advancing the issues upon which this fall's presidential election will be decided. This is not an opportunity to be wasted.

Because South Carolina does not register voters by party, next week's Democratic primary is open to anyone who considers themselves a Democrat, or any independent voter wishing to support one of the party's candidates. While anyone who is registered to vote may participate, a loyal Republican should not, in good conscience, vote in the Democratic primary.

South Carolina's Democratic Party has assembled a team of 5,000 volunteers to staff polling places in every precinct in our state. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. all across South Carolina. The selfless commitment to democracy that this exercise represents is extraordinary. We can all take pride as South Carolinians that so many have stepped forward to promote this freedom and make it available to everyone.

Both Republicans and Democrats face the challenge of articulating their vision of how government can better serve the needs of the people. They do that by recruiting talented, dedicated men and women to run for office, offering their ideas and qualifications up to be scrutinized by the voting public.

It's our privilege — and our duty — as citizens to be informed participants in this process. While brave men and women in uniform are fighting to defend our democratic principles in hostile nations around the world, we owe it to them to do our part here at home.

Thursday's debate will no doubt cause Greenville's divisiveness over celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day to resurface in the national spotlight. Let's show the nation, and the world, that we stand united in recognizing Dr. King's contributions by exercising the right he fought to ensure that all citizens would be able to enjoy: the right, the honor, to vote.

Author George Jean Nathan said, "Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote."

If you want to change that, watch Thursday's debate, follow the media reports, talk to your neighbors and learn all you can about the various candidates. Then, get out and vote.