All elections are big ones for voters

In some parts of the world, people literally risk life and limb to do what we’ll be able to safely do for 13 hours today.

But here in the world’s greatest democracy — and advocate for the spread of democracy around the world — election days are often greeted with quiet indifference.

That will probably be true today.

Voter registrars have studied past gubernatorial elections, absentee voting and registration trends. They predict that no more than 40-45 percent of the registered voters will show up at the polls today.

That’s too bad, because no matter how many people vote, someone always wins.

Today, Virginians will elect a new governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. We’ll also be electing members of the House of Delegates.

In Danville, there’ll be a new sheriff and commonwealth’s attorney in town.

Some voters on Pittsylvania County’s “northern end” will be voting on Sunday beer and wine sales and even liquor by the drink in the town of Gretna.

Presidential elections — which come around just once every four years — attract the most voters because some believe that’s the only office worth voting for.

But over the past decade, the biggest issues here in the Dan River Region have been jobs and the economy — one of the biggest areas of concern for the state government leaders being elected today.

The Danville Sheriff’s Office operates in obscurity, but its deputies run the city jail, keep our courts safe and serve the paperwork that keeps the criminal justice system operating smoothly. The commonwealth’s attorney prosecutes people in all three city courts and runs one of Danville’s largest law firms.

Most of us probably don’t think about alcohol laws, but a growing number of people in Pittsylvania County believe the restrictions on Sunday beer and wine sales have hurt the county’s restaurants and stores to the benefit of surrounding communities.

If the northern end ballot measures are successful today, we could see a renewed effort for Sunday beer and wine sales much closer to Danville.

Every election matters, because every office and ballot question helps our elected officials better understand what we want and need. The winners are able to shape our government — and by extension, our lives.