It is becoming increasingly obvious the registered voters in our county, our state and in our country are in need of a little history refresher course. They need a little reminder of the awesome power they possess and the importance of how to use it.

That awesome power? The right to vote.

It seems each election cycle, those in the media (yes, us included) get fixated on the candidates, their positions, their shortcomings and their negative comments toward their opponent and give little — if any — coverage on why the mere act of voting is one of the most dramatic acts we — as a democratic society — take part in.

The media do stories about voter turnout and how little interest there is in a particular race or election. Instead, the media should be focusing on why people do not vote, why they can’t take the five minutes needed to cast a ballot and what could possibly be more important than selecting our country’s, our state’s or our local leaders.

The historical refresher course should begin and end with the horrific and powerful images from Bloody Sunday. On March 7, 1965 those heroes who aimed to defy the orders of state troopers, sheriff deputies and others wanting to keep the right to vote an exclusive club, marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge on their way to Montgomery.

To them, the right to vote was not just a right they hoped to earn, but a God-given and Constitutional right they were being denied.

They were beaten, gassed, chased, spit upon and cursed, but they marched anyway. And when their first attempt at marching was turned back, they did it again. This time successfully, making their way to Montgomery, and, in turn, changing the direction of this country for the better.

Tuesday’s election does not have the fire and passion that accompanied the 2008 presidential election. That day was historic and it turned out voters in record numbers across the country.

In fact, Tuesday’s election has every chance — at least locally and in Alabama — to be historic in another way with expected low turnout and lack of fire and passion.

Regardless of whether you are passionate or not about the races appearing on Tuesday’s ballot, you — the registered voter — should go to the polls and cast a ballot.

By voting, not only are you helping shape the direction of our county, our state and our country for the next few years but by doing so you will be honoring the men and women who have fought and marched to have that very right provided.