On Monday, July 10, I entered a room full of senior citizens at Hotel RL in Olympia. As a millennial, albeit standing out in the crowd like a sore thumb, I felt honored by the years of wisdom that surrounded me.
I was there to attend the 2017 Civic Pride Honor Roll – an award ceremony for individuals living in Thurston County who have been voting with a perfect record for 50 years or more. Hundreds of voters were selected for recognition and the event had a fabulous turnout.
The goal of the event was to honor these exemplary citizens while also raising awareness about civic engagement. Although the event was founded a few decades ago by former Thurston County Auditor Sam Reed, this Civic Pride Honor Roll was the first ceremony since 2011. Current Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall has the goal of bringing back the event every few years.
“Now more than ever, I think it’s important to stress the importance of continued and consistent participation in our democratic process, not just in years when we elect a president, but years when we elect city council members, county commissioners – those positions are equally important,” said Hall.
The afternoon’s marvelous talent acts consisted of singing group Entertainment Explosion and Inspired to Move Dance Academy.
Keynote speaker Attorney General Bob Ferguson shared a few personal words about his childhood and the impact his parents’ civic engagement had on him at a young age. To view an excerpt from Ferguson’s speech, click the play button on the video above.
In addition to Ferguson, Senator Sam Hunt and former Senator Karen Fraser were speakers at the event, but the event was special for another reason: both were also recognized as achieving the civic pride honor roll.
Senator Hunt stressed the importance of not taking the ability to vote for granted and brought up the concern of people who refuse to vote in elections because they are “taking a stand” due to the lack of desirable candidates. While we may not love every candidate from our party that has ever landed on a ballot, we must exercise our right to have a say in our city, state and nation’s political course, he said.
Senator Fraser spoke to how much has changed since the youngest voter being honored this year would have been born, back in 1946. Individuals born in 1946 became eligible to vote at age 21 in 1967. To put it into perspective: the European Union hadn’t been created, nor the euro, when the youngest voters recognized on Monday were born. It was before humans landed on the moon, five years before Washington approved the Equal Rights Amendment for women in our state, Lacey had incorporated just a few months earlier and there were only two major restaurants in Olympia.
“After all, we do have to live by how things are voted on, so you want to have input,” recognized voter Delores Olson stated. Olson is an 80-year-old woman originally from Mount Vernon, Washington. She believes that voting is merely part of being a good citizen and it’s a value her family instilled in her growing up.
Lacey City Council member Virgil Clarkson, who voted for the first time in 1952, also spoke to me that afternoon. An African-American man, Clarkson shared his feelings about the Voting Rights Act and how much it means to him to engage younger citizens in the voting process. Clarkson mentioned that he is in full favor of the electoral college and that it is our job to educate and encourage our younger generations to vote.
This event reiterated my belief in the necessity of allowing individual voices to be heard and the opportunity to take part in our democracy.
Remember to cast your votes this August 1, 2017 in the local primary election and again in the fall on November 7, 2017 for the general election. If you are at least 18 years of age and have not yet registered to vote, you can get started today by visiting the Office of the Secretary of State website.
