Editor, Perhaps Liberty County Commissioners Lovette, Stevens, Frasier and Gilliard need to pause and reflect some before they cast any future votes. I’m referring, of course, to their recent votes to open the polls on Sunday.
I’ve compiled a bit of information for reference.
Not too many years ago, the election process was limited to the first Tuesday in November. Lines usually were long, and folks often had to stand in line for hours to exercise their right that untold billions worldwide still are denied to this day.
 As voting populations grew and more folks went to the polls, it became cumbersome and change was needed.
Those changes included mail-in ballots, absentee ballots and, more recently, early voting, which expanded our citizens’ ability to choose their government.
Here is some data our commissioners should have considered before voting to open the polls on Sunday:
• Liberty County’s population is 64,135, give or take.  
• Of those, there are about 38,482 residents of voting age.  
• Only 70 percent of voting-age residents —  26,780, give or take — are registered to vote.
• In the last non-presidential election year (2010), only 10,312 (39 percent of those registered) residents voted, and some predict about the same percentage for this election. Many of those were mail-in/absentee ballots.
The polls are open for early voting for 15 days (Monday through Friday for three business weeks), plus Saturday, Oct. 25 and Election Day itself. That gives citizens 17 days to vote in person.
Do you really think it was necessary to open the polls Sunday, Oct. 26?
Oh yeah, and there’s that other thing — one of those basic laws that was the foundation of our Republic: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
What say you, pastors, ministers, deacons and congregants?

— Bruce A. McCartney
Trade Hill community