Letter to the Editor: Be informed and vote

Dear Editor:

I am privileged to be an election judge in the Shell precinct under the capable and dedicated leadership of County Clerk Lori Smallwood, her staff, and chief election judge Jan Barnett.  These fierce women exemplify what goes on throughout the country in our decentralized election system.    Every ballot is counted numerous times, and each voter is double checked as well. You can rest assured that our elections are safe, secure and votes are counted accurately and fairly because of people just like Lori and Jan all over the country.

The repeated baseless cry of rigged, stolen and inaccurate elections tarnishes these public servants’ reputation and undermines the public’s confidence in our elective process. 

The conservative Cato Institute’s numerous studies debunk the lie that undocumented immigrants vote in our elections in great numbers. The April 2004 article by Cato Senior Fellow Walter Olson said, “Bogus claims of widespread voter fraud, … are grossly irresponsible.”   Olson analyzed the Heritage Foundation (of project 2025 fame) database about election fraud and says that since 2002 there are 85 cases involving noncitizens voting. The Heritage database shows that Wyoming had four (4) cases of voter fraud since 2000.   There is a reason why Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems over $600 million for lying about the 2020 election. Check them out for yourself.

So, what can we do? First, register to vote, inform yourself about the issues that matter to you, whatever they might be: public schools, public lands, rural hospitals, affordable housing, etc.   Educate yourself and vote for candidates that represent your interests.

There are numerous resources accessible such as the League of Women Voters of Wyoming, Better Wyoming, Protect Wyoming, WY Vote, Wyoming Voter Network etc.  Volunteer to help people register to vote, take people to the polls or become an election judge.   Contact Lori’s at 307-765-2357.    High school students can also be student election judges.   Let’s make sure every eligible voter is registered and votes.

Pulitzer Prize winning author, Isabel Wilkerson in her book Caste, page 388 says “We are responsible for our own ignorance or, with time and open-hearted enlightenment, our own wisdom.”   As we celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, I encourage all of us to read the declaration aloud July 4, slowly and contemplatively.   Let us resolve to make the wonderful words of the declaration a reality today.  

Tom Harrington

Shell