Editorial: Set aside few minutes for democracy’s sake

Friday, Aug. 30, 2002 | 4:14 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: Sept. 1, 2002

Nevada's primary elections are held Tuesday, although with two weeks of early voting already having been conducted, it seems odd anymore to refer to Sept. 3 as Election Day. But even with early voting, which allows people to vote in malls, grocery stores and other accessible locations, it's possible that as few as one-quarter of all eligible voters will cast a ballot in the primary elections. The lack of involvement is compounded when you consider that just 50 percent of Nevada's eligible voters have even bothered to register to vote, a sad commentary on voter apathy in this state.

For those who didn't use early voting this year, we encourage them on Tuesday to take the five minutes necessary to cast their votes -- hardly an inconvenience when you consider that elections are the foundation of a democracy. And for those who don't think their vote counts, just remember the 2000 presidential election and how the counting of every single vote held both candidates and the nation spellbound.