It’s Halloween—a time when ghosts and goblins appear to scare us and excite us, children come knocking in costume for treats, and creative adults let their imaginations run wild.

But the scariest ghouls this year are not showing up on your door step asking for candy. Regardless of which candidate you support, the other side is promising nightmarish results if their candidate loses.

We’ve heard all kinds of extreme claims: Haitians are eating pet cats and dogs. Puerto Rico is a garbage territory. Taxes will go up and the economy will tank. Even that the other party is controlling the weather and targeting hurricanes at their opponents.

If the election is close, it may take days till all the ballots are counted and a winner is declared. Both sides are likely to appeal the result if they feel they’ve been short-changed. Poll workers have been threatened, and lawsuits are ready to be filed accusing someone somewhere of not holding a fair election.

There’s only one thing scarier than all this and it’s not having the right to participate in an open election at all.

In many countries, like Russia, elections are a sham, with the winner predetermined and the results actually rigged. In others, like Iran, there is no election at all. In still others like Lebanon, a government is chosen that has no power and operates at the whim of terrorist organizations.

The democratic process is not perfect, but it’s better than the alternatives. But nothing is guaranteed. We only have the right to choose our leaders because we continue to exercise that right and keep our democracy strong.

Enjoy the candy and costumes this evening. Then get thee to a voting booth (or return a paper ballot). Leaving the choice to others could have truly ghastly consequences.

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linda@popky.com
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