The IMPORTANCE of the VOTE!

 

If you are reading this on the day it posts, our national midterm election date is just a bit more than four weeks away. The truth, though, is that the time to vote is NOW. This is NOT my endorsement of any candidate at any level, but it is my genuinely desperate plea that anyone reading here makes sure to VOTE. We each need to  facilitate the ability to VOTE in anyone else we know.

First, make sure you are still registered correctly. Many states have purged voters roles, or perhaps you've moved or been a student and changed status or location. Registration online is available in all states. Tell others about this concern and help them navigate the process.

Next, don't wait for election day. If a problem arises, at in-person early voting or by absentee, allow as much time as possible to rectify the situation and assure that your vote will be counted. Worries about ICE or other uniformed observers at the ballot places is reduced with early voting. Early voting by mail or in person is currently underway in many states. Check out the possibilities where you are registered and make use of the best ways to avoid concerns about lines or interference of any kind.

Finally, if mail-in voting has you concerned, make a plan to get your ballot to an official ballot drop-off box. That bypasses any possibility of your mailed vote somehow being batch-rejected or otherwise returned without enough time to correct an error.

All of this is in red font because I intend it as a legitimate alert, a caution, a call to stand up and assure that your right to vote is not lost. I truly never thought that would be threatened in my lifetime. The fact is that generations of Americans have fought and died, debated and legislated to assure that every American citizen has the RIGHT and PROTECTION to vote their will gave me confidence. And yet this central right of citizenship is under pressure, even threat. That is truly heartbreaking. Once you've assured your own right to vote and made your plan, add to your actions the intentional sharing of books about voting. Here are two. Both model engaging young people with your personal and family voting practices to assure the rights for future generations. 

PENGUIN WORKSHOP - RISE,  2024

SHOW UP AND VOTE  is written by Ani Di Franco with art by Rachelle Baker. The text begs to be read aloud, capturing the pacing and propulsive persuasion of a rap poem and the informality/voice of a childlike e. e. cummings. The full-bleed double spread scenes immerse readers in a day-in-the-life of the narrator and her mother within their community of color and commitment. Election Day, in fact. The processes of identification, line-waiting, and interactions effectively elevate what some might view as a chore or mundane, even unimportant activity. It becomes valued, something that matters.

This is not achieved by preaching or didactic dialogue but through the young narrator's observations, analysis, and clever awareness of details connecting to her emotional reactions. Her Mama serves as role model but also in a partnership/mentorship mode, expanding their singular situation with reminders of the exponential forces when each and every other voter is also making mindful selections. The conclusion is authentically satisfying as the pair return through their urban neighborhood and the child recognizes the interconnection of previously taken-for-granted aspects of their life. 

VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE