Today is the Pennsylvania primary election and I urge all of my readers to get out and vote, or as I’ve been saying recently, BE OUT AT THE POLLS. Here are some reasons why voting today is so important.
- It ought to go without saying that voting is every person’s responsibility. We expect5 so much from our government, and in exchange, there are a few things expected of us, and the most basic of those is to vote. If you want more or different things from your government, then the place to start is in the voting booth. It isn’t the only action you ought to be taking, but it is a place to start.
- Pennsylvania passed a Voter ID bill which will be fully in place for the November election. Voting today, in the primary helps everyone involved- voter, poll worker, boards of election, the state- everyone to learn some lessons that may help the November election go smoother. Do you remember the fiasco in Florida or Ohio from past elections? Help stop a Pennsylvania fiasco, but participating in the primary, and help our state be as prepared as it can be for the Fall.
- Be OUT at the polls! Issues central to the lives of gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer and others are being discussed and handled by our elected officials. These range from bills to protect persons in employment, housing and public accommodations, to bills to make our schools safer for youth who are bullied and harmed. There are elected officials at every level of government on the ballot and the outcome of these issues can depend on who wins the primary election. Voting is a basic activist activity when you make choices at the polls for Civil Rights.
We can not assure victory for Civil Rights by our individual votes, but we definitely guarantee that we will not see Equality for all, if we fail to do everything in our individual power, and that begins with voting.
Voter assistance for problems at the voting booth:
- English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE
- Spanish: 866-VE-Y-Vota
On previous posts on the blog you will find many resources to assist you in understanding the candidates from videos to voter guides by a number of different resources.