Over the years, I’ve come to see voting differently.

While voting may be an expression of an individual’s hopes and fears, a voter is not an island unto themselves, so to speak.

Every vote matters because our votes collectively have far-reaching consequences that affect more than one person.

Yet why do we see voting merely as an individual right to express individual preferences, when coming together as a community to vote is about creating a more perfect union and striving for the common good?

Viewing it merely as an individual right and an individual’s civic duty, in my view, gives a person too much wiggle room to sit out and say, “My vote doesn’t matter,” or to cast their vote without consideration of consequences to those around them.

Instead, we must see every election and every vote we cast as a renewal of a social contract we have with each other; to participate and be a part of creating a community devoted to the welfare of every person and those who don’t yet have the privilege to vote.

And so, I’ve come to see voting as a collective duty and responsibility to ensure a brighter future not only for me or my family, but for my neighbors and those with whom I share this community, this state and this country.

In this election, especially, I ask you to think outside the box when casting your ballots. Consider not only your future, but also that of others and the communities we share.

Marpheen Chann

Portland

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