Make your voice heard with your vote

With the upcoming election on Nov. 3, WordPlay T. Jay is encouraging people to get to the polls and have their voices heard by voting.
T. Jay said if you’ve already made a decision to not vote, he is not trying to convince you. However, people on the fence still may find value in some discussions about the voting process and impacts.
First off, voting for local candidates and issues is super important, as people like city council members, mayors, school board members, state representatives and state governors often have more impact on citizens’ day-to-day lives than federal candidates.
“The states and cities have more wiggle room with laws, so it’s about voting for people who do jobs that affect your day-to-day life,” he said. “There are also issues that the state government votes on that makes it to the citizens on the ballot after some friction between the people and decisions by legislators.”
Common state referendums include things like marijuana laws, new taxes or government services.
T. Jay said it’s also important to fill out the census form, which is being done this year, as being counted in the census could have an impact on how voting districts are divided for all levels of government.
When it comes to voting federally, T. Jay said to keep in mind the three branches of government and what each of them do.
The Legislative Branch, comprised of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, jointly referred to as Congress, is responsible for making federal laws.
“They have a heavy impact on your day-to-day life because laws affect you in real-time,” T. Jay said. “If you go to vote, understand who your candidates are and what they believe in and if that matches your beliefs.”
The Executive Branch is headed by the President, and while this garners a lot of attention, it’s not necessarily the most important vote you will cast.
“The President can veto Congressional laws, but the President is also subject to checks and balances from the Supreme Court,” T. Jay said. “What people fail to understand is that the President does not have as much direct impact on their lives as they might think.”
The Judicial Branch, headed by the Supreme Court and its nine justices, is not directly on the ballot, but the makeup of the Executive and Legislative branches determine the general direction of the court. The President nominates justices, and Congress approves them.
“Deciding what politicians are in office to pick judges is important, and Supreme Court judges can be there a long time because it’s a lifetime appointment,” T. Jay said. “It’s important to have your voice heard to get the right judges on the bench.”
Another topic that gets attention during elections is voter suppression.
“Voter suppression is real,” how it happens is up for debate, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s a reality.”
T. Jay urges voters to take steps to make sure their votes are counted.
“Vote early or by absentee ballot if you can,” he said. “Or, vote on Election day if needed, even if it’s tough to find the time.”
T. Jay also said to make sure to sign the ballot, as many Primary Election ballots were ruled invalid because of the lack of a signature.
Lastly, T. Jay said to make sure to follow the instructions on the ballot step by step to make sure all votes are recorded correctly.
For more resources for voting, check out the following links:
- Get Counted in the Census - https://2020census.gov/en.html
- Voter Registration Deadlines - https://www.vote.org/voter-registrati...
- Candidate Info - https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot...
- Candidate Info - https://www.vote411.org/ballot
- Polling Place - https://www.vote.org/polling-place-lo...
- How, Where, When to vote - https://www.usa.gov/how-to-vote
And, for more information from T. Jay about why voting is important, check out the video below!