Rapid City voted against building a new civic center.
Not really.
You could argue that 2,724 people made the decision. That is the number of 
votes by which the “no” votes prevailed. The total number of citizens who bothered to vote was 12,902. That is about 32% voter turnout, with over 40,000 registered voters. The population of Rapid City is over 70,000.
Election officials were “pleased” with the “historic” turnout. Sorry, I don’t share their enthusiasm. The Mayor was quoted as saying, “The people have spoken”. Personally, I think the people DIDN”T speak. When only one out of three eligible voters are willing to invest the effort to vote, something is dreadfully wrong.
It is a loud statement on what is wrong with our country. America has become so comfortable that we don’t really care about the outcome of elections. If we did, we would vote. Consequently, we continue to plunge headlong in the wrong direction, with “leaders” who don’t represent our values. The issue or the candidate with the most money and the best sound bite wins, regardless of the merits. Elections are no longer about substance, they are about “campaigns”. Most people just don’t care enough to vote, leaving our destiny in the hands of a few. Many times, the “few” are advancing an agenda that is far from being right and good for our community or our country.
Should Rapid City build a new $180 million dollar civic center?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Either way, Rapid City lost the election. Voters didn’t bother to vote.
***Gordon Howie is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
“It’s not about right or left, it’s about Right or Wrong.”
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