Some of us live in states where we can (or are even required to) vote early by mail. We’ve already cast our votes and stuck them in the mailbox. But if you usually vote on Election Day, or you vote early but haven’t yet sent in your ballot, don’t forget to do so.
Even more important than voting, however, is voting from a position of education. Read up on all of the candidates running for office in your district (yes, including the school superintendent). Read up on amendments, propositions, and new taxes. Read the analyses and the arguments for each side. Then make your own decision. Don’t be swayed by rhetoric or logical fallacies. Your personal opinion matters and counts.
In my area, we get plenty of mailers sent to us in the weeks leading up to the election. They are fantastic resources, especially for the very local elections. But if you’re looking for more state-wide or national information, some people head to the internet. Bing now has a wonderful resource at bing.com/elections that shows the latest poll data, what races are going on in your area, predictions, trivia, and more. You can also click on someone’s name and it gives actual relevant search results for the candidate. Depending on where you live, the interface seems to give different amounts of information, but it’s definitely a useful resource, regardless. Still not convinced? Bing details the intricacies of their election coverage, and has also made a short video.
While you can check on any of the races across the country, the most useful part of the site will likely be the My Ballot area. Type in your address and it shows you what candidates you will be choosing from when you vote. In my case, it didn’t list any of the propositions, so I’m not sure how universal that aspect is, but the rest is extremely helpful. You can also mark your choices and print your ballot ahead of time, in case you forget who you wanted to vote for when you’re in the voting booth.
We are only six years away from the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote in national elections in the United States, when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Let’s take advantage of this right and responsibility, and make it count, every year.
Note: As part of the Windows Champions program, I have been loaned hardware for the purpose of these reviews. The views expressed in these posts are my honest opinions about the subjects involved.
