Your Vote Matters
Words by Melissa Boles
If you’ve been online at all in the last 60 days, you’ve heard about it. From people encouraging you to listen to their perspective to people “leaving social media” because they don’t want to hear about it anymore, it’s all over your feed. Ads, links, memes… oh, sorry. You know I’m talking about the election, right?
I know, I know. It’s a lot. The ads are getting excessive, and the discourse around whether or not voting by mail is safe can be a little ugly (it’s safe, we’ve been successfully doing it in the state of Washington for 15 years). It can be overwhelming to think about how to vote, especially when you have national, state, and local elections to think about. For some people, it’s so overwhelming they just don’t vote at all.
In 2017, the Virginia House of Delegates (equivalent to the State House of Representatives in other states) stayed in the Republican majority thanks to a name in a film canister. Republican David Yancey and Democrat Shelly Simonds ended their race in a tie, which led to Virginia’s tie breaking rule - each candidate’s name was written on a piece of paper, put into a film canister, and then placed into a bowl. One name was drawn, declaring Yancey the winner. Had Simonds’ name been drawn, control of the House of Delegates would have changed to the Democrats, altering Virginia’s legislative future.
I tell you this story to preempt what you’re planning to say: Why should I vote? My vote doesn’t matter. Oh, but it does. Virginia isn’t the only example of this. In 2018, NPR put together a list of elections where small numbers made up the difference between winning and losing. NPR found 19 elections between 1991 and 2018 that were decided by under 60 votes. It might take you a few minutes, but I bet you can put together a list of 60 people you are acquainted with who are over the age of 18. Are they all voting?
The 2020 election is going to define the next decade or more of our lives. I’m sure you heard someone say that in 2016, and it was as true then as it is now. The way we vote, especially in the Presidential election, will change the way our country functions.
Elections aren’t just about your right to vote as a citizen of the United States, or about who we elect as President. Those are important, don’t get me wrong, but elections are so much bigger. Choosing who to vote for or how to vote on initiatives is about creating the kind of future you want. Making those decisions isn’t easy, and it certainly won’t always go your way, but choosing not to participate means your voice doesn’t get heard at all. Your voice matters.
If you’re not sure how to vote, or if you’re even registered to vote, it’s easy to get started. We can walk through it together:
Go to Vote.org.
Click on the link that says “Check Your Registration”.
Fill out the form they provide.
See if you’re registered! If you already know you’re not registered, click on the link that says “Register to Vote”. The form will take less than five minutes to fill out! If Vote.org’s system says you’re not registered and you’re sure you are, they should provide you with a link to check directly with your state. It’s always good to double-check!
Depending on what state you live in, you’ll have different rules about how to vote, when your registration deadline is, and what your ballot looks like. Vote.org is a great hub for all of that information, but you can also search for “State Department” + “[Insert State Name]” and you should have direct access to your voting information. The Elections office in your county will have it too!
I recommend searching for your state’s decision on mail-in/absentee voting (they’re effectively the same thing) and getting a ballot sent to you this year. Given the current health crisis we are facing, it will be safer for your family and more accessible for you to vote by mail if you can. If you can’t, be sure to wear a mask to keep yourself healthy. Voting should not put your health at risk.
It doesn’t matter if you’re voting in person or by mail, or even who you’ve decided to vote for. What matters the most is that you take the time to research candidates, determine who aligns most closely to your values, and put pen to paper to fill out that ballot. The future of our country, and our world, is at stake. I know that might sound dramatic, but nothing has ever been more true.
Whether you’re voting because of gun violence, climate change, women’s reproductive health, the safety of Black lives, or anything else, your voice and your vote matter. One vote can change everything. This year, make the vote that changes everything yours.
About the Author:
Melissa Boles is a writer, storyteller, and impatient optimist from the Pacific Northwest who believes art can heal all things. Melissa launched The Story Art Tells in May 2020, and has been published in Emerge Literary Journal, Sexology, and on thekindredvoice.com and twloha.com. Her chapbook, We Love in Small Moments, will be published with ELJ Editions, Ltd. in May 2021. You can find more of her writing at melissaboles.org and follow her on social media at @melloftheball.
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