This is a nonpartisan post, and I approve this message.
There is something certain elements in our world are frightened by - their people expressing their free opinion Take this sticker, for example.
I wear this scary sticker proudly.
My message for today is "this may be an off year election for some, but all of us need to pay attention, and VOTE!".
I don't care what your political preferences
are, voting is both a privilege and a duty.
Where I live, a race for family court judge (yes, this is an elected position here in New York where I live) got the bulk of the attention until about two weeks ago. I never realized, until my spouse picked up a pamphlet at the local library explaining this year's ballot, that there were several amendments to our state constitution on the ballot. Not only that, but some impacted the right to vote. On my local ballot, those amendments were on the back.
Then, someone started to run ads pointing out these amendments and asking us to vote a certain way.
I ended up going to the local Board of Elections website to see a copy of the ballot, which is something I should have done to begin with.
This is the scary
part: How many people would have stayed home and not voted their opinion
of these amendments, except for some last minute partisan ads? Shame on me, too, for not educating myself until the day before I exercised my right to vote early. I would have voted anyway, but didn't realize how important this off year (for us) election was.
I take the right to vote seriously, for many reasons, including the fact that when my father was born, women still did not have the right to vote in New York State. My mother wasn't yet born when the first woman to be able to vote in my county voted.
Here is the first time I wrote a voting post on my blog.
I hope you voted this year. If voting was difficult for you (childcare, voting hours, illness, caring for elders, difficulty of some other kind) I salute you if you found a way. If you have stopped caring, though, that's another matter.
Our democracy is at a crossroads. Every vote counts. Every voter counts. If you are registered, I hope you will exercise that right today, if you haven't already.
I am 75 this month and have voted in nearly every election that I was able to. But knowing what and who you are voting for is SO VERY important. One man told me he voted for me because I had a nice smile. Just about the worst reason ever and then I heard a woman on TV say that is why she voted for a former President. Thank you for this post. (though no election here today and I am baby-sitting my grandson who doesn't have school so they can use his school as a voting place.)
ReplyDelete...after I vote I will visit Susan B. Anthony's grave.
ReplyDeleteHere on Long Island our news is dominated by NYC politics, especially the race for Mayor. In my county (Suffolk) we are voting for county legislators, DA and Sheriff, and for Town Supervisor and council members, as well as judges in several courts. In Nassau County, the race for County Executive and for DA are hit news, I was aware of the propositions on the ballot, but they haven’t dominated our news cycle. And the propositions are so important, especially #1
ReplyDeleteI'm actually nervous over this election -- between our Town First Selectman (who I love) up for re-election and Governor of Virginia (not my state, but important). More and more, we see how important voting is.
ReplyDeleteGood for you taking the initiative to find out for yourself! Fortunately, in Oregon, where it's vote by mail only, every ballot comes with information about whatever is on the ballot. The propositions etc. are explained, lists of who is for and against, how it might, if at all, effect costs, and sections of pros and cons from either side. We should be well informed. The ballot envelopes do not require a stamp, and if you forget to mail them, there are many drop-off boxes besides the curbside (don't even get out of your car, this one always has a line) one at the election offices. I miss getting those "scary" little stickers to proudly wear.
ReplyDeleteI approve this message too. I say it myself all the time, the decisions may be easy, the decisions may be difficult, but appreciate the fact that you live in a country where you can make a decision and vote.
ReplyDeleteI hope this country can hold on to democracy. Carol C
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have any elections today. But we've gone to the mail in ballots (that every voter gets), so really, there's no excuse anymore. I did vote in September in our recall election, though.
ReplyDeleteI totally approve this message! We women worked hard to get the right to vote and I’m using it!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for voting, Alana!
That is exactly why I didn't vote early. I needed to hear thedebates for school board and council candidates.
ReplyDelete