There are many reasons to vote
To the Editor:
Why Vote?
First, before you vote you need to register to vote and if you think you’re already registered to vote, you should confirm this, by rechecking your voter registration status.
I’ve registered a lot of people to vote with our group Indivisible Common Ground WNC, especially students. Most are excited to register and make their voices heard as first-time voters, but some just walk by and say they’re not going to vote. I always ask them what issues are important to them to see if there’s something that might move them to register.
Why vote? As a naturalized U.S. citizen, voting gives me the power to participate in this democracy and have a say in it. It’s a good idea to look at the candidates and the issues that you care about and see where they stand on them. As a woman and mother of a 20-something daughter, I’m thinking about women’s reproductive rights. Which candidate supports a woman’s right to choose and respects the choices women make about their own bodies?
Which candidate would expand the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) instead of dismantling it? Healthcare is important to me because my mom depends on Obamacare. And not just my mom, but a friend of mine who has diabetes has lived for years without access to proper healthcare and insulin because he was not eligible for Obamacare until our state finally expanded Medicaid, thanks to Governor Roy Cooper.
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Climate is another important issue. Which candidate supports climate legislation and doesn’t call climate change a hoax? Our children must live with the consequences of climate change and our inaction.
Then there’s gun violence. Our kids must now practice active shooter drills in school and learn to duck and hide. A school shooting happened just a week ago in Georgia and it’s just a matter of time before it happens in our community. Which candidate supports gun control and will prevent gun violence, which is now a public health problem. It’s for these and many more reasons that I vote, and I hope you will too. The world is watching and wishing they could participate in our election, because who we elect will impact them as well.
I urge you to register and vote for local, state and federal positions for candidates that will create policies that will positively affect your lives. Early voting in North Carolina is October 17 to November 2. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5.
Encourage a friend who hasn’t participated in the elections to register to vote. Your encouragement might be the thing that changes their mind. Voting is a privilege. As Susan B. Anthony aptly said, “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.”
Nilofer Couture
Cullowhee
