Letters to the editor | Wednesday, June 1, 2022: It’s time to mark your ballot
Time to mark voting ballot
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. We do not support or oppose candidates for public office. This has been our policy since our founding over 100 years ago. We work to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influence public policy through education and advocacy.
Election Day, June 7, draws near and it’s time to mark your ballot. All registered voters in Stanislaus County have received information by mail from the Registrar of Voters office with explicit instructions on how and where ballots can be dropped off. I chose to mail mine today. Having met with our Registrar of Voters, Donna Linder, to discuss and observe the security measures taken by our election office I feel assured that my ballot will be counted.
When completing your ballot, utilize your Sample Ballot and also check the League’s site at votersedge.org. This website is sponsored by MapLight and LWVCA and can give you additional local, state and national candidate information. You can also track your ballot from this site.
Vote and let your voice be heard. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Laurie Carley, president, League of Women Voters Stanislaus County, Modesto
Self, Madrigal best bets
I had the honor of taking part in an endorsement panel for candidates for Assembly District 22. Jess Self stood out in her knowledge of the issues and her passion for average Valley citizens. Jess is very committed to address issues including affordable housing, improving infrastructure, and access to higher paying jobs in the Valley.
For the Stanislaus supervisor seat, the choice is clearly Tony Madrigal. Tony has been working hard as a council member to address the needs of west Modesto.
Withrow was an anti-masker throughout the COVID crisis. Withrow’s defiance on masks exposes him as not understanding very basic science. This put others at risk, and it also shows that Withrow did not understand that as an elected leader he has an obligation to set an example in his behavior. Approximately 1,700 Stanislaus citizens died from COVID; it is not an exaggeration to imagine that number would have been significantly lower if local leaders had consistently modeled and promoted appropriate public health measures. We don’t need to keep an anti-masker on the Board of Supervisors.
Blake Mittan, Modesto
Alanis for Assembly
I have served in the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department with Sergeant Juan Alanis for the last 18 years. He is a good man whose extensive experience in law enforcement will be a real asset in the state Assembly.
Juan has served this community in numerous capacities including as acting police chief and as a SWAT team member. Sgt. Alanis knows what makes this community tick and what needs to be done to fix state laws that have led to rising crime rates. That’s why 12 different law enforcement associations support Sgt. Alanis for Assembly.
Matt Pettus, Modesto
Columnist swings and misses
Why does The Bee run the red-meat right-wing rhetoric of syndicated columnist Nicole Russell? I’m a proud alumnus of her home paper, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but her pieces constantly attacking California and Democratic policies are as far from thoughtful conservatism as, well, Modesto is from Fort Worth. It seems The Bee is pandering to the Facebook haters who ignorantly and without foundation view the paper as a left-wing propaganda pamphlet.
Bill Walker, Modesto
Forget `defund police’
Abolishing or defunding the police is a very bad idea, especially for Modesto. If city leaders decide to abolish the police, it will increase crime rates, it will make neighborhoods unsafe, and it will make communities vulnerable. There will be nobody to protect innocent people, investigate problems, and bring bad people to justice. Because of the abolition, people will have no choice but to take matters into their own hands with martial art techniques, melee weapons, non-lethal weapons, and guns. Also, parents will have to teach their kids how to deal with criminals without calling the police by simply fighting them. So, people will have to be armed and ready to defend themselves or attack the bad guys without relying on the authorities for help.
Jack Fahy, Modesto