Democracy doesn’t work without competitive elections in which different points of view can be heard.

If you think our local government is corrupt, or insufficiently diverse, or leaning too much in one direction or another, you have several options.

One is to move; another is to smugly complain to your like-minded, disgruntled friends; or you can actually try to make changes yourself by running for the board, committee or office of your choice.

That’s real democracy.

Without your participation we’re left with a democracy in name only. Local elections are coming up; registration deadlines are approaching. It’s time to go to your town hall or town clerk’s office and find out how to file to run. It’s really not that hard to do.

Steve Auerbach
Oak Bluffs