Just 2 votes

I've always felt it was important to vote in elections and to participate in Town Meeting. This gives each of us an active role in our communities and how they are run.

Today I was reminded of how important each individual voter is in the process.

My town voted to approve a bond to renovate and expand our library. This is a project near and dear to me as an active library user and part-time employee in our library. In a town of only 753 residents (according to the 2010 census) we are the 16th busiest library based percentage or population using the library in the State of New Hampshire out of 234 towns. For a small town we have an active library.

Today's vote represented months of work done by the library trustees to come up with a plan that allowed for the growth of our overcrowded library, but yet kept the costs in line. This has been a difficult journey.

Today's vote was a ballot that required a two thirds majority to pass. Discussion was heated at times, many things were said. Some were positive, some were negative. Good points were made, some negative feelings were expressed. The local paper said "spirited discussion". That's a polite way to express it.

 The warrant article passed; 107 yes to 50 no. Just 2 votes over the two thirds majority needed.

What if those 2 extra votes were voters who did not go to the meeting? What if those 2 extra voters decided their votes didn't count? Every vote counts and today's vote defines perfectly why each persons opinion matters.

Next election in your community - go vote. It does mean something.

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