Every Election Counts

Why should you vote on November 3rd? Usually off-year elections are poorly attended because no one cares who ends up as, say, Register of Wills.

The two candidates running for this office are D. Bruce Hanes and Sharon Valentine-Thomas.

Hanes is the incumbent. He made national news when he issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2013, arguing that "his oath to uphold the state’s constitution required him to issue the licenses given that the constitution guarantees equal treatment under the law."

Valentine-Thomas has stated that she "will not personally issue any same sex marriage licenses" if she wins the race. She stated that "she will seek court permission to allow the licenses to be issued by a subordinate." She apparently doesn't think the state constitution applies to her.

I have to wonder if she'd only limit her refusal to perform her duties to marriage licenses. If one partner in a same-sex marriage dies and the other comes in to register the estate, will Thomas refuse to sign those papers, too? And each time that estate executor/administrator comes back in for more forms (I had to go in 3 times for my dad's estate), will he or she be subject to discrimination over and over? Will Thomas refuse to sign documents for people of other religions different from hers since she seems to think her religion gives her a right not to perform her duties. What if Jews want to get married, or Muslims, or atheists?

My feeling is that if you want to be hired for ANY position, you ought to willing to perform ALL the duties of that position. If not, go look for another job. We taxpayers have enough problems with elected officials who refuse to work. For instance, the US House of Representatives.

So I'm endorsing Mr. Hanes. If Ms. Thomas DOES get elected, I'll be starting a petition to dock her pay for the work she refuses to do.

It may seem like a boring local election, but you never know who might get into office simply because voters didn't care and didn't show up. A little county job like Register of Wills might seem unimportant compared to voting for President, but when you walk into one of those County offices, you may be the one discriminated against next.

Please get out and vote next Tuesday. To find out where to vote and see your sample ballot, go to this link.