O'Connor House
Justice, why is civic engagement important to us as a community?
Sandra Day O'Connor
We talked about the term "civic engagement." And I think what we're meaning when we talk about that is the notion that every one of us, as citizens in our community, needs to feel they're a part of it, and that they will vote when there are things to vote on, and that they'll discuss things with fellow citizens, that citizens' opinions matter. I think that's what we're talking about.
O'Connor House
And why is voting so important? If someone has never voted before, what would you tell them, the reason it's important that they get to the polls?
Sandra Day O'Connor
Most of the issues that are ones in which the registered voters in the community are eligible to vote on are things that all of us as citizens should care about. They're the decisions that we make collectively, for how our community is to operate and run. And these are the issues that all of us care about. It is important to weigh in, to vote when you're qualified to do so, and to participate by talking about these issues with our fellow citizens.
O'Connor House
How do we get more people to vote? How do you get people to come and decide that this is something that they're going to take a half an hour out of their day to do?
Sandra Day O'Connor
How to get everyone out to vote on election day is a continuous question we have, because we have periodic election days, every year, year in and year out. And the question is how to get all the eligible, qualified voters out to express themselves, to cast that important vote. We never get a total voter turnout, we get something much less than that, I'm sorry to say. And I wish I had the perfect answer. I think these issues that they vote on are so important. We select the people who will be our governor, our secretary of state or whoever it is, and we have a chance to individually cast a vote for these people. It matters, that's how we select them. But how do you get everyone to take advantage of that wonderful opportunity to be part of that decision-making? I'm not sure I have the answer. We do the best we can. But it isn't good enough because in every election, fewer than all the qualified voters vote.
O'Connor House
Is there anything you would personally like to add to this, about civic engagement or Arizona's future, looking at it in terms of civic engagement?
Sandra Day O'Connor
Arizona's a great state, I love it. I grew up in a remote area on the east side of the state. And our ranch that was very remote, on Election Day there we had to drive over 30 miles to get to the nearest polling place where we could vote. And I didn't qualify to vote in those days. My parents did. So we would go to the nearest little town where there were ballots and they could vote. And it matters so much, and it continues to matter. It matters to me, and it should matter to all of us. We get to pick our leaders at the local level, the town council, we get to pick our county officials, we get to pick our state legislators, and our governor, the state officials. And we're so lucky as citizens to get to do that. And so our job, I think, as adults, is to encourage all our neighbors and friends to vote. To encourage everyone to vote when they have the opportunity, so that it's a collective decision we all make when we select our leaders. That's what matters.