About 2 weeks ago, my son and I went to early voting to cast our votes for the only race for which we are eligible to vote–the Cary Town Council At-Large open position. It took me about one and a half hours to cast my vote in Early Voting. But in my opinion, it was time well spent. Here are the four reasons I voted–and urge you to do so as well today, your last chance for this election.

#4: I want my values and priorities to be reflected in my local elected officials

I’m a registered Independent, and normally I keep my voting record private. However, in this case, I’m proud to announce that I voted for the incumbent, Carissa Kohn-Johnson. I voted for Carissa because she has been a passionate advocate for two populations that are often overlooked in our society–abused and neglected children, particularly foster children through the Guardian ad Litem program, and the elderly. In her first term on the Town Council, her priorities have matched mine. She has fought for more affordable housing in the increasingly-expensive boom housing market in one of the Research Triangle’s fastest growing communities. She pushes for a more aggressive program for local climate action, prioritizing green and sustainability efforts, including more renewable energy. Finally, she is a leader in making sure Cary remains an inclusive community in which all voices are heard, including making it easier and more effective for all Cary citizens to vote.

Those are my major concerns in this local election. So I would have spent all day if that was what it took to cast my vote for someone who represents my values so strongly.

#3 I DON’T want extremists to get a toehold in my community

In my spiritual tradition, we say “For something, against nothing.” And I’m all for Carissa Johnson. However, not only do I disagree with her opponents policies, I disapprove of her campaign techniques.

Her campaign sent election materials to voters in envelopes branded with a graphic that looked very similar to the town’s official logo. The envelopes also proclaimed “URGENT: PROPERTY TAX INCREASE NOTICE, IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED.” The logo-like letterhead on the actual mailing started with the heading “THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL NOTICE: Property Taxes are Going to Increase.” The letter goes on to give false information about increases in taxes and other fees for Cary citizens. The “IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED” turns out to vote for the opponent. While it does say in small print at the bottom of the page that the mailing was paid for by the candidate’s campaign, it clearly is meant to scare and mislead people into thinking it is an official document from the Town of Cary.

I don’t trust candidates who try to fool, mislead, and lie to me, so I wouldn’t vote for this person even if I didn’t agree with their politics.

However, this has been part of the Republican Party’s playbook for years. They support candidates committed to their agenda get elected in smaller, local, and less competitive races, let them get some experience under their belt, then move them up to higher and higher races.

This happened to us with a recent candidate for the Wake County School Board. A mother whose children did NOT attend a Wake County school was running against a young African American man who had actually been a teacher. Personally, I think it is a good idea for a board member to have some experience with the organization they want to run. In addition, she had many hateful and even violent social media posts about Democrats, particular former President Barack Obama. She actually said he should be executed by firing squad and that it should be broadcast as a pay-for-view event. That is NOT someone I want overseeing the education of my children or of the children in my community.

Fortunately, she was defeated. Nonetheless, in 2024 she ran for the statewide position of Superintendent of Schools as the Republican candidate. Her Democratic opponent was again a black man. He had worked in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (2nd largest school system in the state behind Wake County). Then he was the Superintendent of the Guilford County Schools (3rd largest NC school system). He seemed like a pretty qualified guy to me, especially given that she had no experience in education…not even the experience of having her children in NC public schools. But she came disappointingly close to running the state’s educational programs.

So it’s good not to give unethical or inexperienced candidates a local position as a stepping stone to higher offices.

#2: This is the best opportunity we have to convince Republican legislators in purple North Carolina to back off of some of their most radical positions

Everyone is looking at these local elections as being in part a moratorium on the Republican stranglehold on the federal government. If Democrats win big, that tells legislators that the voters are not in love with President Trump and his agenda, his “big beautiful bill,” and perhaps the legislators who are following his every command. This means that Republicans legislators looking for re-election next year might need to move a little closer to the center to ensure their victory in the 2026 midterms. So every Democratic vote for every local candidate gives the Republicans a little more reason to back down from their unconditional support of Trump’s most unpopular policies.

#1: The ability to vote is one of our most precious rights, and millions of Americans have struggled and even died to give us this privilege

One take-away I have about the entire Trump Administration is that they believe that the American public takes Democracy for granted and will not fight for it. I have always thought that voting is a gift, and I haven’t missed an election since I grew old enough to participate in this grand civic process. I hope you will participate in voting this election, even if it is only for a single candidate. Voting is the basis of American democracy. May we all do our part tomorrow (if we haven’t already voted–no voter fraud, please).