Every year, we set aside a day called “Democracy Day.” The idea is simple: to remind ourselves of the incredible gift and responsibility we share as Americans; the right to self-government. But here’s the truth: Democracy can’t be something we honor only one day a year. It is something we have to live, protect, and strengthen every day through our participation, our vigilance, and our willingness to stand up for each other.
As someone who spent most of my adult life as a public school history teacher, I always taught my students that democracy is not inevitable. It is not guaranteed. Democracies throughout history have failed when citizens stopped believing in them, stopped participating, when they stopped trusting each other, or when leaders abused power to erode trust. I made it clear that the story of America is not just about wars and presidents, it is about ordinary citizens who believed their voice mattered enough to take part in building a more perfect union.
When I left the classroom and continued my public service with Bucks County, that lesson became even more real. As Chair of the Bucks County Board of Elections, I saw firsthand how fragile yet resilient our democratic system can be. My colleagues and I were entrusted with ensuring free, fair, and accessible elections in one of the most closely watched counties in the entire nation. Twice — in 2020 and in 2024 — the eyes of the country were on Bucks County, Pennsylvania. And twice, our election workers, our volunteers, and our voters showed what real democracy looks like: neighbors helping neighbors, votes counted fairly, and results certified with integrity.
That experience underscored something I used to tell my students: democracy isn’t an abstract idea, it’s a practice. It’s people showing up at polling places before dawn, setting up voting machines, checking in their neighbors, and staying late into the night to count every single vote. Its citizens waiting patiently in line, sometimes for hours, because they believe their vote matters. It’s Republicans, Democrats, and independents working side by side to make sure the process works. That’s what makes America strong.
On Democracy Day, I can’t help but reflect on how divided our nation has become. We hear constant talk of red versus blue, left versus right. But democracy itself is not a partisan value. It belongs to all of us. When first responders ran into the towers on 9/11, they didn’t ask if someone was Republican or Democrat before they carried them down the stairs. In the same way, when an election worker in Bucks County hands you a ballot, they’re not asking who you plan to vote for, they are protecting your right to participate, no matter your party.
That’s why it has always been so disappointing to hear politicians spread lies about our elections and our election workers, casting doubt on the very foundation of our system. It angers me. As Chair of the Board of Elections, I saw the harm those lies caused — mistrust, anger, and even threats against public servants who were just doing their jobs. Let me be clear: our elections in Bucks County, and across Pennsylvania, are safe, secure, and fair. They have been run with professionalism, transparency, and integrity. To say otherwise isn’t just dishonest, it’s dangerous.
But here’s the good news: I also saw something else in those elections. I saw resilience. I saw neighbors from every walk of life showing up to serve as poll workers, even in the face of hostility. I saw voters of every age and background standing up for their right to be heard. I saw the democratic spirit alive and well. That’s something to celebrate on Democracy Day.
Still, celebration alone isn’t enough. Democracy requires action. It requires participation. It requires us to care not just about our own vote, but about making sure every eligible American can cast theirs. That means protecting access to the ballot box, ensuring safe and secure elections, and rejecting efforts to suppress or intimidate voters. It means demanding honesty and accountability from our leaders, no matter their party. I’m running for Congress now because I believe we need to work to restore the promise of the American Dream and a part of that is making sure our democracy continues to be protected.
READ: Fact-Checking Trump’s Latest Claims About Mail Ballots and Voting Machines
As a history teacher, I used to ask my students to imagine what future generations will say about us. Will they say we protected democracy when it was tested, or that we let it slip away? I believe the answer depends on the choices we make today. Will we come together, across differences, to defend the system that belongs to all of us? Or will we allow division and cynicism to chip away at it?
On this Democracy Day, I want us to remember: democracy isn’t just something we inherit, it’s something we build — one election, one conversation, one act of civic engagement at a time. In Bucks County, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when people take that responsibility seriously. I’ve seen democracy work.
The challenge now is to keep building our more perfect union; to keep showing up, to keep participating, to keep believing that together, we can make our country stronger. Democracy is not a spectator sport. It’s our civic duty. And every day we answer that call, we honor not just our history, but our future.
