Guest opinion: Information is best antidote for partisan poison

The act of voting is the most important responsibility we citizens have in a democracy. Yet in local general elections the turnout is among the lowest of any election. This is troublesome since locally elected officials have the greatest impact on the day-to-day lives of citizens in their communities.

On Nov. 2, we will select school trustees who will help ensure that our children succeed in school, work, and life. We will elect city council members who will help ensure that firefighters show up if our house catches on fire or EMTs arrive to help save the life of a loved one.

In short, we will elect people who should be working to keep our communities safe, secure, and our main street businesses strong. Leaders who help us maintain the high quality of life we enjoy in Idaho.

Unfortunately, this year some are trying to politicize our local government races, to turn non-partisan races into partisan ones where ideology counts more than competency and common sense. This partisanship will bring the same dysfunction to the routine task of running our schools, fire departments and parks that we see in Washington, D.C.

Because of this unprecedented partisan effort, it is more important than ever for us as citizens to get informed. To cut through the partisanship. To know where the candidates stand on the important issues of leading our schools and cities. And, most importantly, get out and vote.

Nothing less than the future of our schools and cities depend on us doing our job as citizens. Vote on Nov. 2, and make a difference for your community — the place you call home.

This guest opinion is supported by 15 Coeur d’Alene area members of Idaho Business for Education, a non-partisan group of nearly 250 business leaders across Idaho working to create the educated workforce our employers need.