November 2020 - 35

AG LABOR REVIEW
Don't be discouraged from voting this season
MICHAEL MARSH
President & CEO
National Council of
Agricultural Employers
Michael@ncaeonline.org
Looking back, it was probably one of
the experiences that piqued my interest in
working in policy.
I had always been interested in the
political process, and elections. I think
I was curious about advertisements I
had seen on the TV from one of the two
stations we received in my small Wyoming
town. I had interest in history too and,
consequently, I looked forward to the day
when I could vote.
Voting is the pillar of our representative
government and, having observed its
importance to my parents, I considered it
to be not only my obligation, but also my
duty as an American. So one of the things
I was most excited about when I turned
18, in addition to leaving home and going
off to college and all that goes along with
that, was being able to vote in my first
presidential election.
I studied the issues and the candidates.
I observed how the candidates performed
in the debates, or how they did not. I
imagined how each of them would face the
challenges they would confront in office
and posited how they might perform. I
also listened to my peers and my professors
to glean any insight they might have on the
candidates. I studied and considered and
then I studied some more. I am sure my
diligence brought comfort to my parents,
hoping the same would carry through to
my academic studies.
Five weeks out from the election
I realized my first frustration with
presidential politics. I was completely
underwhelmed by the choices offered
by the political parties. However, I was
confident that I still had a choice as an
American and I could still vote for the
people I thought were best to lead. In fact,
it was not a choice, it was my duty.
Four weeks out from the election,
my perception of the process became
contorted.
Our county's sample ballot was
published in the local newspaper. Right
at the very top of the ballot were listed
the Republican and Democrat nominees
for president and vice president. This was
exciting! But, as I looked through the entire
ballot, I saw something was amiss.
The ballot had write-in options for
each office being contested except for
two. There was no write-in available
for president, nor the vice. They were
missing! Surely this error had only been
made on the sample ballot. Obviously,
the real ballot, the one I would use on
election day, would be correct.
But I had to be sure.
I had to be in the county seat later
that week, so I went to the county clerk's
office having tucked the sample ballot
from the paper into my pocket. It was my
first time in the courthouse that housed
the county offices, but I found the clerk's
office straight away.
I asked one of the deputy clerks for help
with the ballot and displayed my concern
with the missing write-in spaces. The
assistant was unsure but said the clerk was
available and he would know.
Summoned, he came out of his office
and asked how he could help. I pointed
out my concern with the sample ballot and
inquired as to whether what appeared to
be an error had been corrected on the real
ballots, we would use on election day. The
clerk seemed uncomfortable.
He shuffled his feet and moved a bit
from side to side with his hand on his chin,
looking at me over his black-framed glasses
and scowled. He asked, why I wanted
to know? He seemed incredulous that I
wanted to vote for someone other than the
folks listed on the sample ballot.
Then he said, " I've been county clerk
for twenty years and under Wyoming law
there is no write-in allowed for president
and vice president of the United States. "
Now it was my turn to be incredulous ...
all 18 years of me. I thanked the clerk and
his staff for their time. But my trip to town
was not over.
I left the courthouse and walked to
the county attorney's office. He must
not have had a lot to do because I was
quickly ushered into his office to explain
the problem.
He swiftly popped open an impressivelooking
law book, looked up at me, then
looked down again at the pages. When
he looked up again, he smiled, turned the
book around and pointed.
The lawyer said, " You are correct.
Each office shall have a write-in for each
candidate according to the Wyoming
Election Code. We've made a mistake
and the ballots will be corrected by
election day. "
Hurray! Victory! In my first election,
I had made a positive difference and was
excited! That excitement continued right
up until election day when I went to vote
for my very first time.
The election judge handed me my
ballot. I looked it over and the ballot had
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not been corrected, as promised. I asked
the judge to call the county clerk.
The judge said the clerk indicated I could
vote for whomever I wanted. They had not
fixed the ballot because it would have cost
the county money to correct and reprint
them and the county commissioners would
not be happy about that (not to mention
the embarrassment to his office).
I wanted to tell you that little story
because, as you know, we have an election
coming up. It is going to be different
because it is being held amid a global
pandemic and even voting in this
election has become politicized. But it is
important that we all do.
Do not be discouraged by my
unfortunate experience. Be sure you
vote. Voting is one of the freedoms we
enjoy as Americans, but a freedom not
exercised can be lost.
VOTE! VGN
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November 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2020