As voters head to the ballot box, our divided nation must demand civility in politics | Editorial

Election Day is finally here. After a barrage of campaign ads on TV, voters across the country now have their chance to speak.

Early vote totals indicate a record turnout for a midterm election. Despite the increase, roughly half of eligible citizens are unlikely to vote. Given the stakes — including voting rights and abortion rights — one must wonder what it will take to get voters to the polls.

The closeness of recent elections underscores how much each vote matters.

It is also worth remembering that we may not know all of the results in key states, including Pennsylvania, for several days. That is because Pennsylvania and some other states do not begin counting mail-in votes until Election Day.

A simple fix would be to allow the counting of mail-in ballots to begin before Election Day, but Republican lawmakers in several states have opposed such a move.

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Sadly, extremist Republicans have been undermining democracy for several years. Donald Trump led the assault on election integrity while he was still in the White House. It ultimately led to the deadly insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Many Republican candidates have adopted Trump’s playbook, where the election results only count if they win. Likewise, many Republican candidates refuse to engage with the media and instead spread disinformation through social media.

This board has seen it up close. In the May primaries, we wanted to endorse a Republican candidate for governor and Senate, but the candidates refused to meet with us. Doug Mastriano, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, banned the press at his rallies and often ignored interview requests. In the fall, only Bob Healey, the Republican nominee for Congress in New Jersey’s 3rd District, met with us.

Critics will correctly point out that this board largely supports policies associated with Democratic candidates. But the board has endorsed Republican candidates in the past and remains eager to hear their ideas to better inform the public about their positions.

» READ MORE: We wanted to endorse in Republican primaries this year. We can’t. | Editorial

For better or worse, the media is a sounding board for the public. A basic requirement of being a public official is engaging with the public. Officials who hide from the media are not well suited for the public arena.

To be sure, Republicans and Democrats spend too much time in their ideological bubble. As a result, we are more divided than ever. There is concern of more political violence to come, like the recent attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband.

Politics isn’t a blood sport. Each election has a real impact on people’s lives. The goal shouldn’t be to win at any cost. Surely, there is still more that unites us than divides us.

What is the solution?

Here’s a start: Everyone on both sides — at the local, state, and federal levels — must recognize the value of civil, constructive dialogue. Politicians need to engage with the media, even those they perceive as opponents, the way Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has done during appearances on Fox News.

Dial down the heated rhetoric. Let’s approach each other with mutual respect and explain our views without shouting but with facts. It may not change minds, but it will help others understand your point of view while listening to theirs.

Voting is the best way to ensure every voice is heard. Making sure every vote is counted is also the best tonic for a healthy democracy.

It may be naïve to expect lawmakers to suddenly do the right thing. That is why it is important to demand better and vote.