Town hall building committee member Marilyn Miller reminds us all that Tuesday, Nov. 6 there is the regularly-scheduled voting for local state and Congressional offices as well as three public questions. Also, the Oak Bluffs special town meeting is a week later on Tuesday, Nov. 13 where several warrant articles, including the new town hall, will be in play. And, on Thursday, Nov. 15, there will be a special ballot election on the new town hall.

In many ways, this is a local continuation of the public appearance of so many national political figures on the Island this and summers past. Sen. Ed Markey came to the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on a Sunday in June and spoke about climate change, immigration and energy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, currently campaigning against Geoff Diehl, spoke to an overflow crowd in 2017 at the high school Performing Arts Center.

That same summer and in 2016, Sen. Kamala Harris of California also organized fundraisers on the Vineyard. Georgia candidate for governor, Stacy Abrams, spoke on a panel at Union Chapel in August with news commentator Gayle King and Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum is running to become the governor of Florida also took a bow in Union Chapel during one of the late August services. Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick introduced Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Obama, to a packed house at Union Chapel in mid-August.

All of these candidates and political leaders help to punctuate the importance of the public’s role in the give and take of the political issues of the day and of voting itself.

Voting was not a right guaranteed for all by the United States Constitution nor the Bill of Rights. In the early days of the formation of the colonies, there were, among other limitations, restrictions on voting tied to religion. Catholics were barred from voting in five colonies and Jews in four. For many years, property ownership was a prerequisite for voting. Black males were allowed to vote when the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1870 and women were guaranteed the right to vote by the 19th Amendment in 1920. In 1924, all Native Americans were granted citizenship and the right to vote, regardless of tribal affiliation. But these rights were trampled on by poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation and often death in various periods of our history.

Even in the 21st century, there are renewed vestiges of voter suppression, changing of voting locations, dropping of voters’ names from the voting roles, voter identification laws, gerrymandering districts diluting black and Latino votes and more, all representing hurdles to voting in the upcoming elections.

The elections of 2018 are the classic midterm elections and often bring change in many corners of the political establishment. Vote like your life depends on it and vote because the fundamental platform of democracy depends upon it.

Paradise on earth is the Vineyard experience. Enjoy it as life is fleeting!

Oak Bluffs town news can be sent to rtaylor@mvgazette.com.