Anne Onion: Consider who will serve the good of us all when filling out a ballot

To The Daily Sun,

Are voters worn down by all the challenges of these past two years?

The pandemic, political divisions, war on the horizon, women's rights eroding, the health of our planet, and concerns about the very survival of our democracy are certainly stressing me.

Even if voters are overwhelmed by all the bad news, the fear mongering, the emails asking for money, do not tune out. Their votes Nov. 8 is more critical than ever.

Even if voters have lost trust in all candidates for office, thinking that one “side” is just as bad as another, in any single race, one is more aligned with their values than another. Please consider, who will listen? Who will work well with others? Who truly will serve for the good of us all? Who will be working more for how things will run in our towns, our state or country? It is more clear than ever that every single public office is important.

Personally, I want to live by the rule of law in a democracy, not an autocracy. I am grateful to have been born in a country which, until now, has continually improved the rights of women. I value the importance of public education and have aspirations for all to have a livable wage and health care. And none of this will matter if we don’t tend to the fate of our Earth: Having gardened in New Hampshire for over 50 years, climate change is a reality. No killing frost yet on Nov. 1? My garden was all dead by late September in the 1970s.

These concerns guide me to vote blue in 2022. Democrats have been working for these values and policies for years. We need them more than ever in our public offices.

Anne Onion

Gilmanton