President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address is a song of hope, compassion, and a message to motivate our nation that has become so besides itself, so increasingly drowned in fear that two-thirds of us don’t do our job as citizens. We don’t vote on a regular basis.

The president spoke of how change is infinite and that, as a nation, we can direct this change by taking action. It happens every day we pick up the paper, every time we debate politics with our aunts and uncles at Christmas, when we demand it from our elected officials. So why don’t most Americans believe that they can change the way America does politics?

Just as the President asked us in the State of the Union address on January 12th, “How can we make our politics reflect what’s best in us, and not what’s worse?”

We must demand that our politicians do what we need them to and hold them accountable when they do something that is counter to what we need or want. There is a whole system in place designed for the purpose.

In Madison we have a couple primaries and elections to look out for;

On Feb. 16 the results of the Spring Primary will decide who will be on the ballot for Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

April 5 the Presidential Preference Primary Election we will elect the Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Court of Appeals Justice for Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4, (you will only see these on the far East or West sides of Madison) and the Dane County Circuit Court Judge for Branches 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, and 17.

The partisan primary will be held on Aug. 9 where we will be voting for which presidential candidates will have their name on general election ballot for their parties.

Who’s going to be our next president? That’s up for you to decide on Nov. 8 for the general election. On this day you will also be voting for who represents us in Congress, Senate, the Assembly and district attorneys.

According to Wisconsin law, your employer must give you a three-hour window to vote. All you have to do is notify your employer before election day. Unfortunately your employer does not need to pay you for any of this time, and they choose what time to give you.

Use what you can get because with nine hours of your time this year you can help decide what direction our country will take.