Primary elections are coming up on June 4th. While the focus is usually on the general election in November, the primaries can be important because they will determine who moves forward to the general election. A perfect example is the county sheriff’s race. Two republicans are running for the coveted seat, and republican voters will decide who moves forward to run against the democrat candidate. In some cases, when there is not an opponent from another party, the primary settles the election entirely. An example of this is the District 3 Commission race, where two Republicans are running and no one from another party.

In the last several years, we have heard many say that voting doesn’t matter, but I beg to differ. The time it takes to vote is short, and the locations are easy to reach. The amount of time you spend casting a vote could change an outcome. Often, our elections are close, as close as 1,000 votes or less. That means you can make a change.

Are you registered to vote? You can get registered at the Artesia Chamber of Commerce. Want to change your registration, like your party affiliation or address? You can do that at the Chamber as well. Go online to the Secretary of State’s Voter Portal to see if and how you are registered and in which districts you reside. You can also see a sample ballot, which will show you what your choices are for all the seats being decided this year.

In a world that sometimes seems increasingly divided, it is more important than ever to vote. Visit us at the Chamber to register, and learn more about election day, early voting, and the candidates.

Hayley Klein
Executive Director,
Artesia Chamber of Commerce