Editor, OBSERVER:

I live in NYs 23rd Congressional District and am guilty of trying to influence the outcome of an election. In fact, I’ve been doing it for more than 40 years.

I’m not the mastermind behind a Russian social media bot. I’m not talking gerrymandering or voter suppression or fake news. I use these simple tools:

¯ 1 — I am registered to vote and vote in every election.

¯ 2 — I actively encourage other people to vote.

¯ 3 — I work on behalf of candidates whose platforms align with my values.

For most of my adult life, I participated in democracy by taking these actions and it was enough. But in the months since November 2016 I resolved that I must do all I can to help sway elections. So I’ve added another tool:

¯ 4 — I make regular financial contributions.

I donate regularly to the “Your NY 23rd” political action committee whose mission is to help elect responsive and effective representation in Congress. Found online at www.yourny23.org, this PAC is not aligned with any candidate. It works to educate and empower voters in the 23rd CD.

And I donate regularly to ActBlue’s “NY-23 2018 Democratic Nominee Fund”. The fund was established only months ago and stands today at more than $20,000. It was raised entirely by individuals making small contributions using this link: secure.actblue.com/donate/reedfree23

The Tuesday primary will determine the Democratic nominee to run against Tom Reed. The nominee will receive the Fund to kick-start their congressional campaign. Contributions will be accepted up to primary day.

Only a tiny percentage of adults has ever contributed to a political cause or campaign, but I find it a powerful adjunct to voting and encourage everyone to give it a try. We must do all we can to help determine the outcome of this election.

KAREN ASH,

Angelica