At first glance, there's not a lot to compel voters to head to the polls and cast votes Tuesday in the Primary Election.
There aren't a lot of races among the menu of offices being contested. With Rick Santorum suspending his presidential campaign, the calling card for a large turnout among Republican voters has been removed.
And besides, these are party nominations, not a decision on the ultimate office holder. That happens in November.
But there are contests for state House and Senate nominations, to name a couple.
Beyond that, Tuesday's turnout says more about us than the office holders and will carry a subtle, important, far-reaching message that goes beyond the outcome of a particular race.
Voting is not just a right.
It is a privilege for which people have shed their blood and given their lives to secure and preserve.
And so, more than anything else, voting is a responsibility.
If no one shows up to vote, it sends a message to the people who are being elected.
It tells them that the electorate is not engaged in the public's business.
That gives those elected a ticket to not listen as closely to the input of the electorate once they are in office.
After all, they could reason, that input doesn't represent the apathetic majority.
We're not saying our representatives would do that.
But by not showing up to exert our most basic right and responsibility, we're letting them know we're not all that interested in how they execute their office.
Democracy is most jeopardized in the simplest of everyday situations, such as whether to trek down to the local polling place to cast a ballot on an April day when there are not a lot of reasons to do so.
If for no other reason than to honor the source of your voting rights, responsibility and privilege, cast a ballot Tuesday.
