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VOTE! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
WHY VOTE?
Our democracy, our republic, is based on a social contract creating a political order that benefits the individuals involved: our citizens. But this contract is legitimate only to the extent that they fulfill on their part of the agreement. Part of that agreement is to vote. Now is the time to choose the leaders in our city, our state and our country.
You have the right and you have a voice. Voting gives you a voice in government. The popular tendency to express oneself through social media does not change law or leadership; only your vote has that power. Women, underrepresented groups and young people fought hard for this right. Even today there are countries where people still fight for this right.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – Ronald Reagan
• Do you want to have elected officials in office who represent your needs and concerns? VOTE. • Candidates make determinations for funding. VOTE for those who support causes important to you. • “The millennial generation (consisting of 80 million people and growing) is lazy!” Fight the stereotype – VOTE.
“Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met—obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty.” – John F. Kennedy
• Our government is designed on citizen participation – if you do not VOTE, someone else will make these decisions for you. How independent is that?
To fulfill on your part of the social contract of being a citizen of these United States, create a plan for voting in the fall election. It is your duty to take part in the process of selecting leadership; of following the rules to make that happen; of ensuring you are registered; that you have a plan to vote; and that you vote.
• Do you want to change education? VOTE for local and state school board members who set public education policy and budgets.
• Elected officials decide how to spend your hard-earned tax money. VOTE for those who you agree with their point of view.
CREATE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE 3 Check your registration – www.VoteTexas.gov
• Do you need a good job? Think pay equity, fairness in hiring, and workplace safety. VOTE. • Crime prevention, laws and enforcement, safe and affordable housing, transportation, schools, parks and recreation and the Comprehensive Plan. VOTE for the betterment of your community.
TIME LINES
3 Check identification requirements – www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.html
• Voter Registration is due October 5, 2020 in order to vote in the November election.
3 Check when you can vote and where – RESOURCES: Gregg County Elections Office – www.GREGGcountyvotes.com
• Election Day is November 3, 2020.
• Early voting is October 19-30, 2020.
Encourage your friends and neighbors to vote. Research the candidates to make an informed decision. Do not rely on
Smith County Elections Office – www.SMITH-county.com/government/departments/elections/voter-registration Harrison County Election Office – www.HARRISONcountytexas.org/elections
social media to fill the knowledge void. Research the candidates and the issues and listen to both sides of an argument. Watch the debates, review candidate web sites, review voting guides, review state legislators website for those in office. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS GUIDE my.lwv.org/texas/voters-guide
First Time Voter Checklist – www.vote411.org/first-time-voter-checklist
VOTE 411 www.vote411.org
Make a plan to vote early and have a back-up plan if something impedes your progress that day.
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS CAMPAIGN 2020 www.cfr.org/election2020 Become better informed in order to make an educated decision on your positions and how you choose to vote.
Now is the time to Vote and Let Your Voice Be Heard! “A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” – Edward R. Murrow “The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
“The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” – John F. Kennedy “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” – Abraham Lincoln
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R.E.A.C.H. REPORT 2020
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