Saturday, October 18, 2008

Get out and vote!

Here is a note from my wonderful love-love - I think its useful to post for all those who may need the info:

1) EVERYONE- if you are registered, please finish it off by going to VOTE on ELECTION Day, Tues Nov 4th!!! don't let the rain, or a "bad hair day" discourage you from walking or driving over to your Polling office

-And if live in one of the few states that allows you to register & vote on the same day- Wonderful for you!! AND if you Live in one of many states that allows Early Voting!- Take a advantage of it- NOW NOW!!!

For example, On the EAST Coast these states have /had early voting: ME, VT, NJ, VA, NC, GA, FL (This is just a short list, check your state's website & the sites below for specifics!)

2) Planning

I hope that people who can't take off from work will allocate enough time to wait in line and not be surprised that there may be a long line, meaning= get there very early, before the doors open, or at least much earlier than the time you need to report for work. If you are REQUIRED to be away for Business or Duties, see absentee voting info ( below).

-------If it is possible to take a half -day OFF from work or take the day off- consider putting in your time, now. If you ever experienced a polling problem at your polling office, such as machine not working, needing ID, etc. please plan ahead- we all know that the election process should have SIGNIFICANTLY improved by now, but at this point, we have to work with what we are dealt with on Election day. Also, make time to find out WHERE your polling office is and HOW you will get there BEFORE Election day.

Where to vote

***Remember you vote at the polling place (that is designated) based on the address you used to register. So if you move between now and Nov, you need to go the polling place based on the address on your registration card. If you have any doubts where to go, find out NOW, NOW!!

- When issues like this arise at the polling office, some locations allow (Provisional Voting), but you should learn more details about this by contacting your Board of Elections.

3) Absentee Ballots!!!

If it is impossible for you to be at your polling location on Election Day, Tues NOVEMBER 4th, and its within the rules allowed in your state, please request an absentee ballot from your election office- NOW NOW!!!! (Note- there are deadlines for requesting ballots- don't run out of time) and fill it out and mail it back immediately or at least way BEFORE the DEADLINE to submit.

--To learn more about how to request an absentee ballot in your state you can just call your Voter Registration office ( the office & number may be on the card you got back after registering) -OR- just print the form from your state department/ Board of Elections website. If you can't find the correct information ask a neighbor, but back-up their information by checking your yellow pages, ask the local Librarian, or your local post office might still have registration forms with the phone# of county's designated Voter Registration office, or just ask me- I'll help u find the #.

-For example, In Pennsylvania, the rules are: if you are in the military & stationed elsewhere, if you are ill or physically disabled, religious reasons, or if your duties/ job/business require/prevent you from being at your polling office, during the whole time the polling office is open, such as 7am to 8pm, Then U can vote absentee (see more info at the PA state Dept website - www.votespa.com). You can also learn about more alternative voting options.

4) Tip: KNOW who is on the ballot (AND) what Questions are on the Ballot BEFORE you arrive at the polling place!

In the past, I made a vow to never again show up to vote and without knowing the other people running for office, besides the presidential candidates. Know for yourself before you roll up to the polling office -find out about ALL the candidates, not just the Presidential candidates. - To get informed BEFOREHAND, here's a website, I believe it's one of the best of its kind that lists all the candidates & ballot questions on 1 site (yeah!!!- imagine the amt of wk I had to do BEFORE!) :

www.votesmart.org - below are some user tips for this site-

a) To find the full list of those running in your county (on 1 single page), use your zip-code on the left, and scroll down to very bottom to the "Candidates" section .

b) To find questions that will appear on your ballot, go to the Left side under (Basic Categories)& click the link that reads "Ballot Measures" then select your state. You will then see the questions that will be on your ballot. Look carefully at the dates, sometimes they are not sorted together. This is important for a State like California that has 13 Propositions/ Questions you need to vote on, yet in Pennsylvania, we have just 1 this time.

(These folks have done a great deal of work putting this site together. Otherwise you would have to gather all this infoYOURSELF from the State Legislature (for the questions on the ballot) and from your state's Secretary of State (for the list of candidates)!!! AND the site provides extra info!

Why do "they" make it so hard for us just to make an intelligent vote?!!- Don't answer that :-)

5) To my SURPRISE !!! I have heard of & know people who actually missed the registration Deadline in their state!!! If yours has not passed - please register.

---Missed Voter Registration? well, You should still get involved

-For those of you, who missed registration and can't vote (you can still be involved, by:

1. offering to drive people to the election office on Election day,

2. volunteering at the local campaign office to make calls, knock on doors, hang signs, etc

3. Donating

4. Giving folks stamps to mail in their Absentee ballots, if they won't be physically voting in their city on election day (such as stationed military folks, individuals who are traveling on that day and can't be at the polling location. Unsure?, then ask your election office what qualifies for absentee voting for your state).

5. AND if you missed registering to vote, just register NOW anyway (or when your state starts accepting registrations again), you may not be able to vote on Nov 4th, but at least you'll be somewhat prepared for your state's next congressional or civic election. It is good to get in the habit.

6) PLEASE SHARE with your Family & Friends...

-If anyone has any questions about voting for themselves, family, unique cases such as incarceration & voting rules, special absentee & alternative voting rules, provisional voting etc etc ask your election office or ask me, if I don't know the answer, I am willing to help you find out...

*** Otherwise, these are some very useful sites:

www.vote411.org

www.canivote.org

www.nass.org

www.rockthevote.com/electioncenter

www.votesmart.org

Last but not least, I assume everyone knows this, but better over-informed that under-informed! Unlike the primaries, where you had to be a member of the same party to which your candidate belonged (for example, you had to be registered as Democrat to vote for Senators Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton)- in some states you were able to also vote for them, if you were Independent or Unaffiliated. WELL, in the GENERAL Election, it does NOT matter what party you belong to- You just vote for whomever you want!!!

All the best everyone- Let's end the year with a BIG BANG!!!


Friday, October 17, 2008

This made me pause...

"Bella Abzug…once remarked that we would only have true gender equality when an incompetent woman could go as far as an incompetent man. That milestone appears to have been achieved with the nomination of Sarah Palin for Vice President."

Thats scary to think that may be true!!

(This was a comment from a post on www.devradowrite.com)