But, for many, voting is about more than the logistics of showing up at a polling place on Election Day. It\u2019s a deeply personal way to make their voices heard. Below, two members of the Ross community share why they vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lori Rogala Why do you feel it’s important to vote?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Voting is important to me because it\u2019s one way that my voice can be heard, and it\u2019s essential to shaping our communities. Democracy depends on our participation. While I appreciate different people\u2019s perspectives, I may not always agree with them. Voting is one way that I can ensure that their perspectives are not the only ones that are heard on Election Day. Even when the candidate I support isn\u2019t elected or a proposal I favor doesn\u2019t pass, I like to think of my vote as a reminder to elected officials that other perspectives exist. I also think it\u2019s important to vote because so many people before us have fought for this right. Voting honors those efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you share the story of a memorable election experience you’ve had?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first time that I voted, I didn’t anticipate how meaningful the experience would be. I remember standing in line and catching up with neighbors and acquaintances before each person stepped into the voting booth to cast their ballot on all sorts of issues that could affect us. It was a great reminder of the importance of community and the role each of us plays in shaping it through our vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shannon Beeman<\/strong> Why do you feel it’s important to vote?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe voting is one of the most meaningful ways we take responsibility for the communities we share. That responsibility extends far beyond the top of the ballot. County health departments safeguard our health and well-being. School boards impact the education of our youth. Sheriffs uphold public safety and justice. City or township planning shapes our neighborhoods and natural areas. Local decisions are often as consequential as those made at the state or federal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is why I believe in voting all the way down the ballot. Every race, every office, every choice is an opportunity to say, \u201cI am paying attention to what happens in my community and invested in its future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you share the story of a memorable election experience you’ve had?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a memory of being so small that I was holding onto my mother\u2019s leg as we walked into the voting booth. I recall staring up at the red, white, and blue banners as she cast her ballot. I didn\u2019t understand then that I was watching something I would carry with me for the rest of my life. I only knew that we were there, together, doing something that mattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That memory stayed with me as I grew. Eventually, I stopped holding onto my mother and started walking into the voting booth on my own. Then, decades after those first elections, I had the surreal experience of seeing my own name on a ballot when I ran for Washtenaw County commissioner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is something profound about that full circle. My mother was raising a child, but in those moments, she was also raising a voice. She was teaching me, long before I had the words for it, that your voice matters and using it is a responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I think about elections, I think less about a single day and more about that inheritance. Today, I bring my own children with me, just as my mother brought me. They see me participate and begin to understand that voting is how we turn our voice into a choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n![\"Lori](\"https:\/\/rossweb.bus.umich.edu\/faculty-staff-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2026\/10\/lori-rogala-headshot-225x300.jpeg\")
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Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
Teaching Professor of Business Law<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n![\"Shannon](\"https:\/\/rossweb.bus.umich.edu\/faculty-staff-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2026\/10\/beemansheadshot-300x225.jpg\")
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Brand Manager
Office of Marketing and Communications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n