I hope you are feeling even more compelled these days to be an active citizen. Being active in your community not only can make you healthier, but it can also grow your purpose (and perspective), and make our society more productive. It is the decisions made my voters, actions taken by advocates, and voices of people like you that impact our neighborhoods, our towns, our states, and our country. This is a time when YOU can make a difference!
This Tuesday, October 9 is the last day that you can register to vote where I live for the November 2018 election. Registering to vote, and then voting on election day (or earlier if you can!) is a way you can stand up for your community, your family, and yourself. It’s one of the most important things you can do to be an active citizen.
How to register to vote:
First, find the deadline to register to vote in your state.
Every state has a different deadline to register to vote (unless you are in North Dakota- where you don’t have to register to vote). You can start at your state or territory’s election office.
Not sure how to access your local election office? Check out USA.gov’s page on state election offices. Here, there’s a drop down menu for you to choose your state or territory. You may have to navigate a website or two to find the deadline. Easy button for this fall’s election: the New York Times has published each state’s deadline on their website.
Then, check to see if you’re already registered to vote.
On that same state election office page, you should have the option to check whether you are registered to vote. I just checked on the Texas Secretary of State’s site, and I had to enter my name, zip code, and date of birth to see whether I was registered to vote.
Register to vote.
Depending on your state, you may be able to simply register to vote online. If you need to register through the mail, there should be instructions online and options to print a registration form. Start at Vote.gov. From there, you can pick your location and they will take you through the registration process. Having trouble and want to know your rights? Rock the Vote has a great page about voting rights by state to learn more.
Research who you are going to vote for.
Congratulations: you are registered to vote! Now that you are registered, check out what is on the ballot. It’s important to do you research into local candidates to see who most closely aligns with your views. First, find a “sample ballot” on your local election office website. This will show you who is on the ballot and what the ballot will look like. Then, find out more about the candidates by visiting the “issues” section of their websites. You can also check out their social media accounts to learn about how they feel about current events.
If you are interested in a particular issue, find an organization that advocates for that issue. Sometimes, these organizations will endorse candidates, or rate the candidates on the issue you care about.
Have you registered to vote?
© 2017 Caitlin W Howe, LLC
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