If you care about county, you must vote

Published 12:00 am Sunday, June 23, 2002

With just two days before voters go to the polls for the June 25 run-off election, we believe constituents in Dallas County should consider the what this election means to them.

On the outside, this run-off doesn’t seem like it means much to us. Some people have commented that even the Alabama House of Representatives District 67 race is not that crucial to this area. One person told the Times-Journal that state representatives rarely get much done for their constituents.

We don’t believe this is true, and we don’t think voters should stay home Tuesday just because they believe they know how state government operates.

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Legislators have a tremendous responsibility to Dallas County. Legislators also have a tremendous ability to ignore their home district if they choose to do so.

Right now, Alabama is in a transition from the poor South to a position of national leaders. Our automotive industry has boomed in the past eight years, and when big industries come, bigger industries follow.

What does that mean for Dallas County, and why should we vote in this election simply because of industrial opportunity?

As Alabama become a more wealthy state — wealth in the terms of jobs and education — we need someone in Montgomery who will fight to bring that wealth to Dallas County. We need someone who understands the problems facing this community, and we need someone who will fight to cure those problems.

We also must elect a candidate who will support every single person in this district. If our elected candidate doesn’t do that, the entire community will suffer.

In today’s Times-Journal, we offer the stances of both LaTosha Brown and Yusuf Salaam — the candidates in this run-off election. Both make strong points and both have qualifications that make them reasonable candidates.

On Tuesday, it will be up to the voters to select the person we want representing us in Montgomery. We only have two people who represent Selma in Montgomery right now. In other words, half of the legislative representation we receive will be nominated for the general election in November.

Do you care who represents you in state government? If so, you must vote.