On Voter Registration Day, officials advise citizens to use their freedom of speech

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - In order to make your voice heard, registering to vote is the very first step. So, in order to be a part of the change, you must also do your part.

Amy Sims, who is the Secretary of Comanche Election Board, says the responsibility of your community’s future falls on the shoulders of the people.

“Despite that, in the most recent election, only a fraction of the registered voters actually cast their ballot meaning the voters are letting others do the decision making for them,” Sims said. “The City of Lawton has 91,000 people as of the 2020 census and 69,000 people are eligible to vote but we only have 39,000 that are registered to vote. So of those 39,000 people 2,444 people decided on the CIP for the City of Lawton so that is 36,000 people that were registered to vote gave their voice away to those 2,444.″

I spoke with Lawton resident, Bink Mooney, who’s a registered vote who says people who don’t participate in elections typically have a lot to say, but not in a meaningful or productive way.

”Even our local governments and here in Lawton and I’m going to be honest a lot of people don’t come out and vote but they are the first ones to complain every time something they don’t like the city council members, well, they don’t go out and vote,” said Mooney. ”So if you are not happy with the way that the city spends their money on the city streets infrastructure should of been out voting.”