Please go vote! Next Tuesday, Nov. 3, is the midterm general election in our country. I checked to see how many eligible Wyoming residents voted in the 2022 midterm election and discovered that only 45.6% of Wyoming voters showed up at the polls that year. The national average was 46.7%. I hope this year will be different because, while it is not a presidential election, several important issues are on the ballot in Sublette County and across Wyoming.
• There are two Ballot Propositions on the General Election ballot. The first is Proposition Number One, which seeks property tax relief for homeowners statewide. Earlier this month, Sublette County Treasurer Emily Paravicini offered a presentation on Proposition Number One entitled “Educational Session Proposition 1 and Your Property Taxes.” I would encourage you to watch this excellent overview of Prop 1 on YouTube.com before you vote. Pay particular attention to the overview on The Cowboy Family — or better yet, do The Cowboy Family with your own personal information and compare the disparity.
• The second ballot initiative is entitled “Reducing Commissioners.” The initiative was spearheaded by citizens who wanted voters to have the opportunity to revisit and decide if Sublette County should retain the current number of five commissioners or return to three commissioners. Ten years ago, Sublette County was experiencing a major boom; the population had surged and the assessed valuation had increased dramatically. Since that time, the “boom” has paled. The assessed valuation and the population have dropped. Economic indicators presented by a University of Wyoming economist at a recent BOCES program in Pinedale projected even leaner times ahead. Is the number of county commissioners an expense we could trim, or is it important to keep five voices?
• Usually the election for county offices is pretty well decided in the primary election, but this is not the case in the race for the Sublette County Commission this year. There are three candidates on the ballot, and one announced write-in candidate for two positions. You still have a choice. Check out the candidates’ statements in the Oct. 22 edition of the Pinedale Roundup or reach out to them individually.
• Generally, the election for the school board offers a small pool of candidates. This is definitely not the case in the Sublette County School District #1 (Pinedale) this year.Eleven office seekers are vying for four seats. If you were not able to attend the forum earlier this week, read about the candidates in last week’s edition of the Pinedale Roundup or check for a link to a recording of the forum, which the hosts of the event plan to put on Sublette County For Sale.
I encourage each and every eligible voter in Sublette County to exercise your right to vote.There are many important decisions on the ballot. Every voice matters in our democracy. We all have the right to influence the future!
