Top 10 Reasons To Register And Vote

[From Nonprofit VOTE]

Picture courtesy of ActionNC.org

TOP 10 REASONS TO REGISTER AND VOTE

10. It’s your money. The county commissioners, governor, state officials, legislators and members of congress you vote for will decide how much of our wealth to invest in public services and how to fairly share the tax burden.

9. It’s your children’s education. You elect local and state school board members who set public education policy and budgets that will affect how well prepared your children and grandchildren will be for the future. Decisions by our elected representatives also affect the public schools–and the quality and cost of higher education as well.

8. It’s your job. Congress, the governor and your legislators influence what job training is available, minimum wage, pay equity, fairness in hiring, health insurance through your employer, job and pension security, and workplace safety.

7. It’s your health care. Actions by the governor, legislature and congress as well as their decisions on Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance laws determine your access to health care.

6. They’re your highways. Your county commissioners, legislators, governor and members of congress decide what highways are needed, what alternatives to highways such as public transit to support, and how to pay the bill.

5. It’s your Social Security. The members of Congress you elect decide how much payroll tax you pay, cost of living increases and benefit schedules for your Social Security pension, and what Medicare services you receive and share payment for.

4. You live in _____________. Your county, state and national elected officials set standards, enforcement strategies and budgets. They plan and zone where roads and industries will be built and how public lands will be used–decisions that can determine how and where you live and work.

3. It’s your neighborhood. The elected officials and judges you vote to retain make daily decisions about crime prevention, laws and law enforcement, safe and affordable homes, traffic patterns, where to put schools, parks and recreation.

2. They’re our children. We do our best to keep them healthy, fed, safe, educated and cared for. The officials you elect can help or hinder all ____Your State Here___ families in achieving their goals and dreams.

And the Number One reason to register and vote is.....

1. IT’S YOUR DEMOCRACY. MAKE IT WORK. REGISTER AND VOTE.

Another Example of Voting

Can College Students Register at their College Address?

The NYS Board of Elections website says that a registrant must live at the address on the registration form at least 30 days before an election.

RVA called the Monroe County Board of Elections for clarification.  The answer is that college students have a choice.  They can register here or they can register at their home (assuming it’s not here).  If they register here, they must vote at the polling place for the address here.  If they register at home, they must either request an absentee ballot from there or go to vote at the polling pace for that address.

Tips for Becoming a Better-Informed Voter

The web site of the League of Women Voters US, is a "one-stop-shop" for election related information. It provides non-partisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information, including the location of polling places.

To help expand access to this information, the League built several VOTE411.org widgets for use by state and local Leagues and individuals on their websites. These widgets are free for anyone to use.

Seek knowledge before the election, vote, and keep tabs on your legislators afterward.

In addition, the local League ofWomen Voters / Rochester Metropolitan Area features on their web site a listing of “Who Represents You 2012” giving contact information for federal, state, and local elected officials. For a printed copy of this listing, call 585-262-3730.

SABE PSA on Voting