Yep, my voting record is hit or miss.
Even as proud as I am to be an advocate for justice, equity, and liberation, there are several years when I did not vote. There were years in my life where I was moving, unsure of what was on the ballot, but there were definitely years where I was apathetic, unsure if my vote would make a difference. Then someone reminded me that so many Americans have fought hard for the right to vote. We are lucky in America that we live in a place that values democracy (no matter how broken it may be at times). How disrespectful and ignorant I was to think my voice didn’t matter. Let’s honor those leaders who gave their lives for our right to have a say in what happens in our communities.
Where do we start? First, make sure you’re registered to vote. Check online here.
Not registered? Register here. You have until October 7th for this year’s election.
You may live in a city that has recently taken efforts to support LGBTQ people. These cities and county have have recently passed local nondiscrimination ordinances: Medina, Worthington, Cuyahoga County, Shaker Heights.
How can we ensure that the people we’re voting for are going to reflect our values in their leadership? We do the research. I encourage you to reach out to local groups endorsing local candidates on all levels.
For help, check out League of Women Voters, Judge4Yourself, Your Local LGBTQ Political Party Group
And then make sure your voice is heard: VOTE on November 5th! Happy Voting!