By Tom Beebe
One of America’s most beloved theatrical performances is “Music Man,” the story of a community dealing with challenges, in this case a pool hall.
Townsfolk massed for an impromptu march on the town square. It was a musical, after all, so the demonstration was a song and dance number that went something like this.
“My friends, we got trouble. Trouble right here in River City. And that starts with “T,” that rhymes with “P,” and that stands for “pool.”
Well, my friends, we got trouble too. Trouble right here in Lee County. And that starts with “T,” that rhymes with “E,” and stands for “Education.”
The folks in River City marched to make things right. Those of us in Lee County march to the polls on Aug. 18.
We’re at a crossroads. The futures of our most precious resources—our children—are at stake. Presently, those futures have been in the hands of 6 of the 7 school board members whose allegiance is to their political party and not our kids. They have made a mess of it, and it’s time for a change.
Even though this is a partisan primary ballot, it is your only chance to vote for school board members and the future of our schools and our children.
Just like that march of the pool hall was serious business in River City, your vote is extremely serious business in Lee County:
- School Board members oversee nearly $3 billion in taxpayer funds, make decisions affecting over 100,000 students, work with thousands of employees, and impact every neighborhood in the county.
- Strong public schools benefit everyone by supporting local businesses, strengthening the workforce, and helping protect property values—even for residents without children in school.
- Most importantly, the decisions board members make influence academic achievement, school safety, teacher recruitment and retention, career education, and the financial health of the district.
As important as voting is, it doesn’t have to be difficult. You can vote by mail, vote early, or vote on Election Day.
First off, check in at Lee County Elections to verify your registration and other identifying information. Also, recent changes to voting laws and gerrymandering can be confusing. The website has details you’ll need.
Above all else, have a voting plan.
The easiest way to vote is by mail. Your ballot comes to your home, and you can take your time filling it out. The deadline to request a ballot for the Aug. 18 school board election is Thursday, Aug.5, at 5 p.m. You can return your vote by mail or drop it off at numerous locations. For those locations and more information, click here or call 239-533-8683.
You have little time, so there’s no time like now.
Another convenient option is early voting. Polling locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Saturday, Aug. 8, to Saturday Aug. 15. Complete information, including specific early voting locations (different from same-day voting), is available here or by calling 239-533-8683.
Most importantly, if you miss the first two options, don’t give up.
Vote in-person on Aug. 18. This election is way too important to sit it out at home. The hot air, political theater, and silliness might come from Washington DC, but the decisions that shape the daily lives of our kids and communities are made much closer to home. Check out this website or call 239-533-8682 for full details.
Local elections matter, so make a plan now to cast your vote to be part of shaping the future for the children, schools, and residents of Lee County.
Many local races are decided by only a few hundred votes. In primary elections, turnout is often much lower than in November. Let’s change that together. Your vote is even more important, so don’t waste it by sitting on the sidelines.
It’s true my friends, we’ve got trouble. Trouble right here in Lee County. Don’t forget though, “T” also rhymes with “V” and the stands for
“Vote.”
See you at the polls.