In this blog, I think we all try to keep things somewhat apolitical. Obviously, we’re a diverse group of women from all over the country and we all have different viewpoints. That’s the point of the blog. It stands to reason that you, our lovely readers, also come from all over the country and have different viewpoints. I can’t speak to the rest of my blog-writing team, but I’ve tended to shy away from political topics so as not to ostracize readers. However, today is VOTING DAY and without advocating for any particular candidate or platform, I would encourage each of you to get out and vote today. Here’s why:
I would argue that these elections are more important than the last (and most) presidential election. EVERY SINGLE seat in the House of Representatives is up for election this year. That’s right – every one. These are the men and women that are supposed to be representing you in our federal government. They are the ones that you should call when something isn’t working right. And they’re the ones you should go to for the fix. That’s a lot of power. They’re also the ones that write laws. Despite what you may think about them, they’re a pretty important group of people. Same goes for the Senate. And a lot of those seats are up for election this year too.
There are also many governorships, mayors and local councils to be decided upon. These are the folks that determine what happens in your state and in your community. State income tax, sales tax, money for schools, garbage pickups, support for the fire and police departments – they’re all decided at this level. Lots of municipalities and states are also going to be voting on important questions that are going to change the way things work. A prime example of this is the State of Washington, which has 9 initiatives on the ballot this year on issues ranging from the sale of alcohol to worker’s comp to taxes.
And if all that doesn’t sway you, remember that not too long ago, many segments of our population couldn’t vote. Women haven’t even been voting for 100 years yet, and even though African-American men were granted the right in 1870 with the 15th Amendment, many were still effectively barred the right to vote until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Then perhaps you could think of countries like Burma, which haven’t had elections since 1990, and the last time they did have elections, the military voided the results so they could stay in power (see this Newsweek article for more info).
Yup. All in all, voting is pretty important, and for many in the world, it’s still a luxury. Besides, I’ve always thought that if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain with how things are going in this country. If you’re like me and like to complain and rant and rave, that’s a pretty powerful motivator.
Not sure where to vote? Google put together this handy-dandy poll finder. Just enter your home address and it will find your polling place for you. Now you have no excuse so get out there and vote!
(courtesy CIA World Factbook)
Amanda
Samantha
Nicole
Christine
Erin
Zara
Our View From Here 
I have to say, the nine initiatives on the Washington State ballot were a little intimidating. A lot of people here put off voting for quite awhile just because they didn’t know how to vote. Fortunately, we’re an almost totally mail-in voting state, so we were able to sit at home and really contemplate what we were voting for.
Apathy is something that needs to be cured, most certainly. If people would just be involved more and not listen to what they are told, alot of issues could be solved.