Hi everyone! If you live in the US, today is election day, please to vote!!
I know that it's not a presidential or midterm election but there are still tons of elections across the country. Virginia and New Jersey are electing governors, NYC and many other cities are electing mayors, and countless municipalities across the country are electing city councils, school boards, sheriffs, and judges. There are also ballot measures (referendums -- basically, questions that are asked directly to the voters) in lots of places as well.
These elections are super important because they directly impact policies that affect where you live on a variety of topics from immigration to housing to road safety. And, because smaller elections generally lower voter turnout, your vote has an outsize impact.
You can look up who is running where you live at Ballotpedia, but you also can just show up at your polling place, and there will people from each party handing you a list of candidates from their slate or that they recommend.
If you are unsure who to vote for, you can google the candidates and read their platforms on their websites. You can also see if they have a social media presence and what they've posted. It's also not a bad idea to post on your own social media to ask your friends who they're planning to vote for, or to dm your friends about it.
Some topics that might be addressed, that you can look for (either to keep an eye out for in general, or things you can look up specifically):
- Immigration (will this candidate collaborate with ICE? or will they designate your city a sanctuary city?)
- Housing (does the candidate support updating zoning laws to allow greater density? do they support rent control and tenants' rights laws?)
- Transit (do they support creating and improving bus, train, and bicycle infrastructure?)
- Climate change/the environment
- Schooling (does the candidate want to prevent students from learning about Black history or queerness?)
And many more. The issues will also vary from place to place.
You can also look up your ballot measures similarly. This is a good idea because sometimes the wording is confusing or misleading, and researching the issue can help you understand the context behind the question as well as who is supporting and who is opposing the measure.
But, if you're too busy or overwhelmed to do research, it's okay. You are not required to do it in order to vote. Yes, go in with a general idea of what the candidates you're voting stand for, but you have a constitutional right to vote regardless.
I know "vote blue no matter who" is a cliche at this point, and while I'm not saying to vote for any Democrats regardless of issues that candidate has, in most elections if you don't have time to do research it's a safe bet to just vote the Democratic slate down the ballot. Though there may be elections (like school board) where candidates are not running by party. Also, some jurisdictions will have slates where you vote for 2-3 candidates all in one bundle, while others have candidates listed individually.
To find your polling place, google "[county name] board of elections" or "[county name] find my polling place" and that should get you started. Polls close between 6pm and 9pm, depending on your state. In some states, you may be required to bring a photo ID. If you are not registered to vote, some states offer same-day registration.
If you need a ride to the polls, there are many get-out-the-vote organizations that can help. You can call your local candidate's office, or try googling "[county name] rides to the polls" to get connected to them.
If you are having trouble with the logistics of getting there -- if you need help finding a ride, or finding a polling place, please feel free to dm me and I will help you out!
