Whether you’re a citizen by birth or choice, the country has a right to your “fullest commitment.” George Washington, the Republic’s first president, made that statement – and his words are timely as we prepare to exercise an important right and duty within a few weeks. In the Nov. 2 election, Americans will be called on to elect a third of the U. S. senators and all members of the House, decide many governorships and legislative races, and choose some local, county and state officers. Only weeks ago 91 percent of eligible citizens voted in a Swedish election. Can Americansl expect to match that commendable performance’? Unfortunately this isn’t likely to happen. in 1960 when John Kennedy was elected president, 63 percent of American voters cast ballots. That percentage probably would have seemed quite low to the Founding Fathers – framers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – who envisioned the ballot as a sacred privilege. And the situation has worsened. The percentage of turnout has diminished with each presidential vote in the past 20 years. In 1980 when President Ronald Reagan was elected, only 53 out of every 100 voters went to the polls. As Sen. Jennings Randolph, D-W.Va., pointed out in a recent Senate speech, the apathy extends to the young people who have failed to vote up to expectations under the 26th Amendment giving 18, 19, and 20 year olds the right to use the ballot. Lamentably, the recent primary elections in the states produced an average turnout of only 25 percent. In other words, the citizenry entrusted 1 out of every 4 voters with the decisionmaking – and there were many crucial races. Balloting trends being as they are, it’s obvious hard-campaigning candidates in any given contest face a second foe – public indifference. Senator Randolph, who is not up for reelection this year, had a good suggestion to help remedy this situation. “When you contact your constituencies,” he told his collleagues, “please say to the heads of families: ‘Talk over the responsibility of citizenship in your own homes talk to your children of voting age about their responsibilities.”‘ With election day just around the corner, eligible voters would be well-advised to accomplish two things: (1) Cram for the exam by brushing up on- candidate qualifications, and (2) heed Washington’s words about the commitments of citizenship.