1. Voting is not just a right and a responsibility but also an opportunity for thanksgiving. Think of Russia, China, Iran, most Middle Eastern countries and other repressive countries where voting is either non-existent or a cruel joke with pre-determined outcomes. Yes, we have our own problems - gerrymandering, arcane laws (popular vote versus electoral college), suffrage suppression for the marginalized, bankrolling of candidates by moneyed interests, unchecked corporate power - but these are insignificant compared to countries where the “will of the people” is an oxymoron and where citizens languish or die in prison for daring to dream of democracy. We vote not only to decide the kind of government we want at all levels but also to express our gratitude for living in a free and pluralistic country, however flawed.
2 2. Casting
the ballot makes a difference. Some say our votes will not make a dent in the
status quo, so why bother? Of all the reasons cited for not voting, this one is
the most damaging. Unless we make our multitudinous voices heard through the
ballot, how can we expect the changes we want? If this is not persuasive
enough, consider this: The simple yet profound act of voting can change the
voter. The first step to changing a country, or even the world, is to change ourselves.
33. Honor
the 26th amendment. We get into passionate arguments about the 2nd
Amendment for its implications on gun control but we rarely talk about the 26th
Amendment, ratified in July 1971, that gives Americans 18 years or older the
right to vote. So, if you fall in this category or call yourself Gen Z, Gen X,
Millennial, baby boomer, octogenarian, or centenarian, vote! While we are at
it, why not shoot for the stars? In the 2020 presidential election, 67% of
eligible voters - about 160 million Americans - voted, the most in our history.
But that also meant that 80 million Americans million did not vote. In this
midterm let’s set a record: 80% or 200 million.
44. Transcend
political affiliations by voting for values and principles. If your values and principles
coincide with your affiliations, you are among the lucky ones. For most of us,
however, putting principles over politics and pocketbooks can be gut-wrenching.
Yet this is what we must do if it serves the common good of the country. Be an
informed voter by studying where the candidates stand and the pros and cons of
propositions. Don’t fall for the flashy flyer, social media sensationalism or
pre-election polls. Voting is an obligation that requires us to be knowledgeable
about who and what we vote for or against, and how it aligns with our deepest
beliefs. Read voter information guides and unbiased reports on the Internet. Informed
voters put acumen over anger and facts over fear.
5 5. A consequential election. It is in human
nature to think that our times are the most pivotal in history. Still, it is no
exaggeration to say that the results of the 2022 midterm election will define
the direction of our country for the foreseeable future, in particular, whether
democracy will flourish or be on life-support. With our ballots, we can decide whether
we will have freedom of choice, whether everyone will be equal under the law,
whether candidates will speak truth to power or are too beholden to demagogues
and lobbies to be not just useless but dangerous.
By voting as informed citizens we can
ensure a bright future for our nation. Vote, so that through the fog of
deception, despair and denial, the sound of democracy comes through loud and
clear.
