Rosemary D’Arcy: Don’t miss opportunity to be informed, participate and be counted in primary

To The Daily Sun,

Primaries are often regarded as less important than national elections, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, New Hampshire citizens have the opportunity to cast their votes in the state Primary Election.

The people who get elected at the state level, from the governor on down, are the people who make the decisions that affect our daily lives. Their decisions and the laws they pass can have a direct impact on us.

Most of us don’t really think about what a New Hampshire elected official can do to make our lives better or worse. Learning about your candidates, especially if they are running for reelection can give you a sense of what you might expect. There are websites that can give you information about candidates in your district. The New Hampshire Secretary of State site is a good one, sos.nh.gov. Another one is ballotpedia.org/NewHampshire.

Things you can do to prepare to vote in the state primary:

• Find out where you need to go to vote, what you need to show for identification and the polling hours

• If you will not be able to vote in person, arrange for an absentee ballot at your town clerk’s office

• If you are an undeclared voter (not registered with the Republican or Democratic party), you must choose a party ballot, either Republican or Democratic

• If you wish to return to undeclared, you usually can do that immediately following your vote with a designated official

Voting is the one way you can have a voice in our government. Remind your friends, encourage your over 18-year-old children. Don’t miss the opportunity to be informed, participate and be counted.

Rosemary D’Arcy

Bristol