A solid Kansas future depends on voters participating in the system

Recent stories in The Star have explored whether or not Kansas Republican lawmakers, including myself, are going to offer endorsements in the governor’s race.

I am not. In fact, 40 percent of us responded that we would not endorse in the race, or declined to comment.

There is certainly a novelty to the question itself, yet the conversation is moving off target. The underlying question is really this: What course are we going to chart for the future of our state?

The power to answer that question is not up to any single lawmaker. Instead, it resides with the people. A critical step along the way is the election of individuals with the capacity, shared vision and a commitment to establish this path.

In truth, we share collective responsibility. Every one of us has a role to play in shaping our future. We each bring a unique perspective and set of skills to the equation.

Some wave signs in protest. Some donate to political campaigns, and some volunteer their time. For me, I put my name on the ballot.

All of these roles are important, but none matter if the most important role of all — that of an active, informed voter — goes unfulfilled. Only 28 percent of eligible Kansas voters chose to cast a vote in the August primary.

We battle regularly in the Legislature over election laws and ballot access, yet 72 percent of eligible Kansas voters said “no thanks” when given the power to shape the choices on the November ballot.

Those ballot choices are set, and candidates are busy making their pitch to you — answering questionnaires, participating in debates, hosting events, and even knocking on your door to ask for your support. Elections matter, and so does your vote.

Kansas is at a crossroads, with clear choices between making forward progress or turning back the clock. We can shout into our respective echo chambers, arguing whether actions demonstrate some arbitrary measure of courage, or we can get to work.

Bipartisanship is not just a buzzword. True bipartisanship happens when people put aside preconceived ideas about the labels constantly used to divide us and instead work to find common ground that can be a starting point for collaboration.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” said British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Kansas lawmakers from all corners of the state, from both political parties, came together to reinvest in our public schools, revise our tax code, balance our budget, stop reckless borrowing and restore funding to a variety of state agencies. That did not happen by accident, but only through hard work and relentless pressure from Kansans to answer the call.

We still have work to do. Our problems were not created overnight and will not be solved overnight. Whether you are the sign waving activist, the hard-working volunteer, the campaign contributor or the undecided voter, I hope your actions lead you to polls in November.

Kansas is counting on you.