Every Vote Counts: Fighting Ballot Fatigue Before Nov. 3
In this op-ed, Dr. John E. Warren, publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint and chairman of the board of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, writes that a long ballot full of propositions and unfamiliar names can make voters feel their choice does not matter. He says those pushing restrictions like Proposition 39 are counting on people to give up, encourages readers to help unregistered loved ones vote by provisional ballot, and warns San Diego County voters that Measure A is not what it appears to be.
By now, those of us who are registered voters have received our ballots in the mail for the Nov. 3 general election. For Californians, the ballot is two long pages, printed on both sides. Some choices are easy, such as the races for state offices like governor and secretary of state.
Then there is the host of propositions, measures and names of people you have never heard of. Don’t panic. This is the point at which you may begin to feel your vote won’t make a difference. Fight that feeling. Every vote counts.
Those who would take away our right to vote with harsh restrictions like Proposition 39 are counting on you to give up. They are counting on you to set your ballot aside until you forget about it. And if you haven’t registered, they are counting on you to believe your one vote won’t make a difference.
There are friends and loved ones around you who have not registered to vote. They may tell you they don’t plan to and that it wouldn’t matter if they did. This is where you must stand up and convince them that they do count. Offer to take them to the polls, where they can still register and cast a provisional ballot.
That is why the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint has prepared its 2026 Voter’s Guide. Our recommendations on candidates and ballot measures are based on our research and on our daily coverage of the issues affecting you. The choice is yours, but make a choice you must if we are to continue with any degree of democracy and freedom.
As we look at the County and City of San Diego, please think before you vote. This election at the local level is not about friendships. It’s about survival for those of us struggling with health care, rent, food and fuel, whether for our homes or our cars.
At the county level, Measure A is not what it appears to be, and we must not be deceived by how much we like the supervisors sponsoring it.
Remember, in 2010 more than 60% of county voters approved term limits, restricting supervisors to two terms in office. All the “transparency” in Measure A could be achieved without adding a third term or stripping the county’s new chief administrative officer of authority. No one sought to limit that authority until an African American woman was placed in the position.
Let’s get about the business of completing this vote with everything we have and paying closer attention to our government at all levels.
Dr. John E. Warren is the publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint and chairman of the board of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).