I just figured it out—if I was your teacher my first year of teaching, the oldest you would be now is about 59. (whew!) If you had me my last year of teaching, the youngest you could be is about 20. That means every kid I ever taught should be eligible to vote. So do it.
Let me be clear from the outset. This is in no way an attempt to tell you who to vote for. True, I have a definite opinion about how I want to vote, but your vote is waaayyy more important than my opinion…I get my vote for that.
These are some terms that I hate: Voter suppression—an intentional effort to make it more difficult for people to vote. Gerrymandering—the manipulation of an electoral constituency’s boundaries so as favor one party or class. Mail-in voter fraud—the idea that if we make it safer for people to vote during the pandemic, this is going to encourage cheating. All of these concepts are in direct conflict with the most basic tenet of democratic government…of the people, by the people, for the people.
This is why you should vote: You matter—you are one of the people listed above. You deserve a say. Like the slogan says, your vote is your voice. Be involved—no one admires or respects the guy who sits on the sideline and criticizes the action on the field. Voting is a privilege, but it’s also a responsibility. Voting says you care. Participate in history—people on both sides say this is one of the most impactful elections ever held in the United States. Some say it will determine the fate of the nation. It deserves your two cents.
This is how to make sure you vote: Register! – in Texas, you must be registered 30 days in advance—that means October 3. Do it now. Texas doesn’t have online registration (which is ridiculous), but you can request the form online. If you don’t know if you are registered, just search: voter registration in Texas. Don’t count on mail-in voting—as of now, you can only vote by mail if you are 65, disabled, in jail, or out of your county on November 3. Take advantage of early voting—it goes from October 13 to October 30 in Texas. This is your safest way to vote in view of the pandemic—no lines, no crowds, in and out quickly. If you don’t live in Texas–just search: “voter registration in (your state)” and you will find all the information you need.
My dear former students, you can do more than just vote. You can encourage other people to vote. Make sure your friends are voting. Help people to obtain a ballot. Take people to the polling place, or volunteer there. If we have the largest voter turnout ever, the election will be a success no matter the result. When the people are involved, the country wins. Vote!
You know I will!
Great message, Coach