As civil rights advocates urge Americans to vote with confidence, I am thinking about the responsibility we have to the generations coming behind us. This is especially important as we reflect on David Laguerre on Voting Rights and Protecting Future Voices.

Black Perspective | Op-Ed by David Laguerre

As a Black man in my mid-60s, I cannot look at voting rights as just another political issue.

When I think about the ballot, I think about my family. I think about whether the people I love will have a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their lives. I think about the younger people coming behind my generation and what we are teaching them about their place in this country.

I want them to inherit more than stories about progress. I want them to inherit the freedom to participate, the confidence to speak and a government that recognizes their right to be heard.

It is crucial for us to engage in discussions about David Laguerre on Voting Rights and Protecting Future Voices to ensure a better future for all.

That is why I feel so strongly about voting rights. And that is why reports of intimidation, confusion and barriers to participation deserve our attention, even when they involve communities far from Utica.

The warning comes with a reason for hope

In a statement released October 19, the Legal Defense Fund and other members of the Voting Rights Working Group described concerns surrounding the approaching midterm elections. Those concerns include registration problems, voter intimidation, misinformation and legal disputes affecting access to the ballot.

Their message also carried an essential reassurance: eligible voters should participate with confidence. The organizations encouraged people to check their registration, make a voting plan and seek help when problems arise. Source: Legal Defense Fund

That balance matters to me.

We need honest reporting about threats to voting rights. But we also need to make sure our warnings do not leave people believing that participation is hopeless.

There is a difference between telling someone to prepare for a possible obstacle and convincing that person the door is already locked.

I want this column to help people walk through that door.

Why this reaches into my own family

When you reach this stage of life, questions about the future become deeply personal.

What kind of country are we leaving our families? Will younger people believe they belong in the public conversation? Will they expect to be treated with dignity when they participate? Will they understand that their voices matter even when an election does not go their way?

Those questions weigh on me.

I want my family to understand that citizenship includes the right to question leaders, demand answers and help choose who holds power. We should never have to approach those rights as though we are asking for a favor.

I also want them to understand that caring about voting rights means defending the rights of people who disagree with us.

My passion does not require everyone to share my politics. It requires me to insist that every eligible person deserves a fair opportunity to participate.

A right that depends on supporting the preferred candidate of whoever holds power is no right at all.

Frustration deserves an answer

I understand why people become tired of politics.

Campaigns ask for attention, money and loyalty. Candidates promise change. Families still have bills to pay, work to do and problems that cannot wait for the next election.

When someone asks, “What difference will my vote make?” I do not think scolding is the answer.

People deserve a serious response.

For me, voting is one way to have a say in who makes decisions about our shared lives. It is also a starting point for accountability. We should ask what candidates intend to do, examine their records and continue paying attention after they take office.

I do not expect a ballot to solve every problem facing my family or my community. I do expect the people making decisions to know that we are watching, participating and prepared to judge their work.

That expectation has value.

Turn concern into a plan in the Mohawk Valley

Here in New York, the State Board of Elections lists October 24 through November 1 as the early voting period for the 2026 general election.

The board explains that early voters privately mark and scan their ballots, and those votes are included in unofficial election night totals. County boards provide local hours and locations. Outside New York City, voters may use any of their assigned early voting centers within their county. Source: New York State Board of Elections

For Utica and Mohawk Valley readers, preparation can begin with a few practical steps:

• Check your registration and voting location through the New York State voter lookup.
• Review your county board’s official early voting schedule.
• Choose a day and arrange transportation if you need it.
• Encourage eligible relatives and friends to check their own information.
• Use official election sources to verify claims circulating online.

If you encounter a voting problem, the civil rights coalition identifies 866-OUR-VOTE as an Election Protection resource. Source: Legal Defense Fund

Helping someone find reliable information may seem like a small act. To the person who is confused, anxious or unsure where to begin, it can make participation feel possible.

The example I want to leave

I want the younger people in my family to see that I cared enough to participate.

I want them to see that my concern for our community extended beyond a conversation, a complaint or a social media post. I want them to understand that protecting their future requires attention and effort from all of us.

That does not mean pretending our democracy is perfect. It means believing our families deserve a meaningful place in shaping it.

At this age, I feel a responsibility to connect what matters to me with what I am willing to do about it.

Voting rights matter to me because my family matters to me. Their dignity, their choices and their ability to influence the world around them are worth defending.

My hope is that they will inherit a country where participation feels natural and secure. Until then, I intend to keep speaking, keep paying attention and keep encouraging people to use their voices.

That is part of what I want to leave them.