EDITORIAL

What if they had an election and no one voted? That was almost the case in May of 2006. Only 25 people bothered to show up and cast a vote during last year's City of Whitehouse elections.

On the ballot were uncontested races for the office of mayor and city council places 1, 2 and 4. There were also 14 charter amendments that govern the city.

This rant is aimed at each and every registered voter in the City of Whitehouse especially the elected city officials. Not one of those individuals whose names appeared on that ballot voted. They didn't even vote for themselves! That is a sad statement to have to make.

The sign in sheets show only 15 votes cast during the early voting period and only 10 on the actual day of the election. That has to be an all-time low.

It's like the reverse of what your mother taught you as a child, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." It appears that only those who are really against an issue or against a candidate will take the

time to come out and cast a vote.

We all stand on the side of the road and wave our little

American flags during

the parade and rise during the football game with hat-in-hand over our hearts as the band plays "The Star Spangled Banner" and Old Glory flaps in the breeze. That seems to be where the patriotism stops.

Don't let that be the case this month. VOTE. Vote for or against. But just vote.

If you live in the City of Whitehouse, vote at the Whitehouse First United Methodist Church. If you live in Troup ISD, vote at the Troup Municipal Library. To vote for the Texas constitutional amendment during the early voting period, you will have to vote in downtown Tyler at the Smith County Court Annex at 200 E. Ferguson, Suite 500. On Election Day, votes on the amendment can be cast at the local polling places.