If you don't vote; don't complain

The primary election in West Virginia is today ... have you voted, will you vote or will you just complain about the results tallied by those who did vote?

West Virginia has some decisive offices up for election to face-off in November, including state Supreme Court seats. Locally, the highly contested Democratic primary for mayor of Parkersburg is on the ballot with Parkersburg former police chief Gerald Board attempting to unseat incumbent mayor-former police chief Bob Newell.

Comments on News and Sentinel stories about the election and surrounding issues have been filled for weeks with allegations, counter-allegations, few of which have been based on little more than personal contempt for one candidate or the other.

The News and Sentinel has been battered by those who support Board as being biased for Newell, who, conversely, has accused the newspaper of being opposed to him in favor of Board. Bias is always perceived through the eyes of whom one supports ... and the media always is the messenger who gets the blame, no matter what the reality.

The issue, though, is for voters who have not already cast their early votes to go to the polls today and let their choice for party nominations be known. Sitting back and contending voting doesn't really matter because nothing ever changes is both idiotic and counterproductive. Voting is the only legitimate way to push government to do what the people want it to do.

So, if you don't vote, don't complain; you're getting what you deserve!