On Aug. 7, Michigan will be holding its primary elections, and in my opinion, it is the true beginning of the election season. It is the time for the members of both parties to exercise their rights as Americans to make decisions concerning who will represent us and how the issues of our day should be addressed. Republican or Democrat, I encourage everyone to get out and cast your vote. Raise your political voice and start making a difference now.

In the 78th State District representative primary, there are two excellent Democratic candidates running for the nomination, Jack Arbanas and Gerry Welling. By going to their websites, you will see that even though they fundamentally disagree on the methods they both agree that certain changes have to be made and that our state is in a downward economic spiral that is not being properly addressed by our current GOP leadership.

They both agree that our economy in southwest Michigan needs to be rebuilt and together they believe that education and its proper funding is one of the building blocks of that reconstruction. By choosing one of them, you can demonstrate your support and participate in making a difference.

So if you would like to see changes in Lansing or Washington or right here in Berrien County and your local townships, it begins by coming out to vote in the upcoming primary. By deciding who you would like to see get the nomination and becoming more informed about the issues, you can start to make a difference.

The election in November will be one of the most important in this state’s history, and in some ways, the people who participate will be deciding the very nature of the soul of our state.

We all need to get involved; we all need to raise our voice. Michigan belongs to the people, and only our votes will prove that.