When I was observing at the end of the work day at the Rood Vote Center, an older man with silver hair and a warm smile walked up to a volunteer and loudly announced that he had never voted before, didn’t know if he was registered, and that he was dying of cancer. It was time, he said, to do the right thing.

Everyone in the room froze for a few seconds, and then the hustle and bustle continued. One person hadn’t received a ballot, another couldn’t find his, a young voter had moved several times, a mom, child in tow, was confused about her registration. Through it all the volunteers were polite, professional, and determined to figure out every issue.

I walked down the hall to the big observation window at the Elections Office and found humans and machines carefully sorting, scanning, and checking every ballot from the Post Office, Vote Centers and ballot boxes that had come in that day. Sitting and sorting right on the other side of the window was Registrar of Voters Natalie Adona. It was all hands on deck, and I felt confident our election in Nevada County was in good hands. You will too if you go to observe at any Vote Center now through Election Day.

Regardless of the checks and balances, there are still questions and concerns about the security of the Election and about voting. Scan any social media feed and you will see these questions range from foreign interference to ballot errors, lost ballots to dog-ate-my ballot issues. You can find Adona’s answers to some of the top concerns, as well non-partisan resources such as VOTE411 and the online Easy Voter Guide on our League of Women Voters of Nevada County website at www.lwvnevadacounty.org.

If you have not yet voted, you still have time to do the right thing, to do what the gentleman facing the end of his life did that day when I had the privilege to observe democracy in action. Our county, our state, our country need to hear your voice. Important races have been won and lost by just a handful of votes, especially in down-ballot contests. Yes, your vote is important. Do not throw away your shot.

Yours in democracy
Lynn Forbes, co-president League of Women Voters of Nevada County