The ABC’s of Voting

We are less than twenty-three days away from the November 3rd elections, and this election feels anything but ordinary. We are still immersed in a global pandemic. Even though the World Health Organization said that a vaccine might be ready by the end of 2020, the truth is that “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.’ 

Yet, with all the madness in our midst, many people still need more information about exercising our right to vote to do it safely, away from crowds and at indoor sites. If it sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. Nonetheless, the worst thing we can do right now is to get overwhelmed by current events and let the chaos paralyze us. Somehow, we need to get some perspective and power through. 

So, how can we get that perspective when everything seems so daunting and confusing? First, let’s go back to the basics, and in this case, going back to basics is remembering that voting is a right that was earned after years of struggle. Today, all citizens over the age of 18 cannot be denied the right to vote, regardless of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation; however, this was not always the case. When the U.S. constitution was adopted in 1787, only white male landowners had the right to vote. It wasn’t until 1870 that the right to vote was first extended to African Americans under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, passed during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. These Amendments guaranteed that all male citizens, regardless of their race, would receive equal treatment under the law and not be deprived of their rights without due process. The Fifteenth Amendment is specifically dedicated to protecting all citizens’ right to vote, regardless of race. Those changes happened on paper because, in reality, they did not necessarily translate to an end of the voting rights struggle for African Americans due to widespread discrimination in some states, including the use of poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests. African Americans were not assured full voting rights until President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. 

In the case of women voting, they were denied the right to vote until 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. Before that, women could only vote in select states (The White House, 2020). These are just two examples of the struggles women and African Americans faced. Indigenous People, Latinos, and Asians have also had their fair share of troubles accessing voting rights. With this in mind, it’s a small feat to dedicate a couple of hours to getting informed before voting.

To exercise our hard-earned right to vote, where do we start? First of all, remember that each state has its laws governing how and where voters can cast ballots; therefore, you need to visit your state or local election office websites or resources. Once you are on the website, or with information in hand, you need to read carefully, mark critical dates and milestones, and begin your voting journey: 

1. Make sure that you are registered to vote. For Arizona, the voter registration deadline got extended to October 23rd. If you haven’t done it yet, please complete your registration as soon as possible. 
2. If you want to be extra careful about voting in the middle of a pandemic, and you prefer to avoid crowds, know that you are not alone. About a third of voters across the country say that they want to vote by mail or absentee this year, so several states decided to make it easier to vote without going to the polls. In Arizona, registered voters have two ways to get a ballot-by-mail: the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL) or Ballot-by-Mail. In the first case, voters are automatically sent a ballot-by-mail for all elections in which they are eligible to vote. In the second one, you can make a one-time request for a ballot by mail. For either option, to get a ballot-by-mail for an upcoming election, you must register at least 11 days before Election Day, which in this case, is October 23rd.
3. Once you have received your ballot, the recommended deadline to mail it back is October 27th. If you cannot send your ballot back by that date, you should return it to any voting location or secure ballot-drop box in your county by 7:00 pm on Election Day.
4. Election Day is November 3rd. If you are voting in person, the polls will be open from 6 am to 7 pm in Arizona. Do not forget to bring your ID with you! If you voted by mail, all ballots must be received this day at 7 pm to be considered. 

I commend all of you that have already undertaken the research necessary to pick your candidate. Now more than ever, determining your plan and acting on it is crucial. For those still on the fence, I suggest a little exercise to help you decide who to vote for: write down the values and actions vital to you and your family. Not words, not promises, but actions. Once you have that list set, look at the two candidates’ actions and record, and then see which one matches more closely to your list. After that, you can take a minute to reflect on the promises they have made, even the broken ones.

Your vote is decisive, and it has the potential to transform our woes and sorrows into actionable possibilities for a better future. Voting is our right, but it is also our obligation. It is now our turn to recognize our transformative power, to honor the past while we construct a better future. Vote and share this article with someone you think would appreciate it. 

You can find voting resources on:   

1. https://www.vote.org/
2. https://www.usa.gov/election-office
3. https://www.arizona.vote/
4. https://azsos.gov/votebymail
5. https://www.azcleanelections.gov/

For more information, please visit: 

The White House (2020). Elections and Voting. Available on: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/elections-voting/