Cache Valley residents turn out on voting day to be heard

<strong>LOGAN—</strong>Tuesday was primary election day in Cache Valley, and thousands turned out across the valley to cast their ballot and exercise their right to vote. Though values and reasons differed, a couple of underlying themes emerged: the state of the economy is troubling many, and there are high hopes for Mitt Romney.

“I’d say the economy is one of the biggest things. I’m not really sure if anyone knows how to actually fix it, or if we just have to let it work itself out, but I think that’s probably the main issue that most of us are worried about,” said 19-year-old Logan resident and first time voter, Spencer Burt.

Burt, a registered Democrat, said he didn’t even know if he’d be around for the November elections as he is awaiting a mission call from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, he said it was important for him to get out and voice his opinion.

At the Logan River Golf Course voting station, 53-year-old Alison McCandless voiced her support of Romney.

“I think Mitt Romney having a business background actually knows how to balance a budget, and I think our predecessors, a lot of them haven’t – specifically the current one.

“I’m hopeful that we will gain a majority of Republicans in the Senate,” McCandless said. “I’m hoping that Orrin Hatch will continue, and that will be advantageous to those of us who really would like the budget balanced, who would like to stop the over-reaching government spending. If they would balance their checkbooks the way we had to balance ours, this would stop.”

In Smithfield, resident Brent Roberts rolled up to the voting station at the armory in his white, 1963 Ford Studebaker. The 67-year-old Roberts also has high hopes for Romney, and voiced thoughts on the importance of voting.

“The older I get, the more important that I find that it is, and it’s our responsibility to vote. If we want to maintain our freedoms, we’ve got to take part, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” he said. “You need to start while you’re young to learn about your American heritage and your founding fathers. That’s where it all started, and without that we’re going to lose what we have. We need to exercise our rights and appreciate what we have.”

Smithfield resident Colleen Stokes, while happy to be casting her vote, voiced her frustration with what she said was a, “lack of respect for the Constitution and understanding and respect for the office of President.”

While Stokes pointed out the importance of the right to vote, she also voiced concern over too many people being granted that right.

“It seems like anyone is allowed to vote if they sign up. It doesn’t matter if they’re tax payers, if they’re knowledgeable – you know it just seems like there is a lot of issues with the illegals, with the people who don’t own property, or don’t pay taxes – they are still allowed to vote and that’s upsetting,” Stokes said.

“I think it changes the priorities of our nation, and I think if our nation held more to being accountable for who’s voting and what their rights are and making sure that they truly are Americans and stand up, then the issues wouldn’t be nearly so bad as they are now.”

Despite the varying viewpoints and party affiliations in Cache Valley, patriotism was clearly on display Tuesday. A feeling that is only bound to increase as the November elections near. 

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