In the immortal words of the incomparable George Carlin, “If you don’t vote, you lose the right to complain.” Well, we know that complaining is a longstanding American tradition, but if early voting trends hold up, it looks like a record number of Americans this year will absolutely secure their right to complain for another four years (or six years, in the case of U.S. Senate races). Admit it; who doesn’t actually enjoy lobbing a complaint into the public debate every now and then?
Though we live in a time when the magnitude and volume of strongly held beliefs on either side of the partisan divide seems to have reached a fever pitch, it may help us all to step back for one big moment and recognize that for all the shouting (ugly as it has become) is one simple fact: it's enabled by a 244 year old experiment in democracy that we can never take for granted and that can end if we don’t defend it. Voting is perhaps the most essential way that any of us “average citizens” have to ensure democracy’s continuance, and abiding by a lawful election (even if we are profoundly disappointed by its outcome), is just as essential. If you’re old enough (and I know I am!), you can certainly recall a reasonably long litany of election nights filled with great joy and those filled with tremendous anguish. Elections, like life, can be quite an experience (particularly those that don’t actually end on Election night)!
As part of the Y’s deeply ingrained sense of social responsibility, we’ve been partnering with the League of Women Voters and others to help people register to vote leading up the election. We’ve also been doing community outreach to ensure that people are counted in this year’s Census, which we all know is a once-every-ten years event that has significant influence on legislative maps, federal and state funding and all kinds of public policy. We do all of this not out of any political stance (the Y is a firmly non-partisan organization), but out of a strong and longstanding commitment to our community. Registering to vote and being counted in the U.S. Census makes us all better citizens, and we believe that the higher the level of engagement in those civic activities, the better our communities.
Early voting starts today in Maryland. If you have not already cast an absentee ballot by mail (like I have), I urge you to make plans to get out and vote now or to vote on Election Day. We’ve never had a Presidential election in the middle of a pandemic, so this year we all may need a different plan than we’re used to. If you typically enjoy voting on Election Day at your traditional voting location, that location may not actually be open this year. Confused? That’s understandable. To help you in making your plan to vote, just follow this link:
Like you do for anything that matters, the key is to plan ahead.
So, I’ll close today’s Monday Mission Update about with a quote from John Lewis, the late civil rights icon and long-time Congressman who did as much as any human being to ensure full access to the ballot box by all Americans.
“The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.”
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland