Ballots are in the mail

Ballots for the Nov. 5 General Election have been arriving in mailboxes during the past week. Of the 246,000 that have been mailed to homes across Clark County, about 9,400 have so far been returned to the Clark County Elections Office.

The issues that will be decided during this election in particular have the potential to have some drastic impacts on local households.

In Washougal, voters will really need to take the time to sift through information that is available regarding the Proposition 1 change of government issue. It’s a topic worth investigating, as both sides have their positive attributes and drawbacks. If approved, it will completely change how the city is operated and governed.

Also on the ballot is the East County Fire & Rescue capital projects and equipment levy, which if approved would cost taxpayers an additional 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

In addition, all Clark County voters will be asked to choose freeholders, who will be tasked with creating a charter that could also change how the county is governed.

These three important issues alone should serve to help convince local residents that this is an election worth participating in.

For those who aren’t registered anywhere, there’s still time. These people have until Oct. 28 to register in person at the County Elections Department in Vancouver.

As Americans, participation in all elections at the local and national levels is important. It’s a right and a freedom that every one of us should take full advantage of.