Voting Guide – Exercise Your Rights » Triage Cancer®

01 Oct Voting Guide – Exercise Your Rights

Posted at 08:00h in Advocacy by Triage Cancer

Your vote matters – decisions are made by those who show up. It is our civic duty to cast our vote for the people we want to represent us and support issues that we care about.

In our democracy, we get to have a say about who our elected officials are at all levels of government. Each city, county, and state may have their own rules for voting, so make sure you are informed. Check with your local board of elections to see your city, county, or state’s specific guidelines. Find your State or local election office.

If you feel discouraged by what you are seeing in the news, know that you have the power to do something about it. Your voice matters. Every single vote matters. And our right to vote has been hard earned. Exercise your rights by casting your vote early, or on November 3!

How to be prepared for November 3:

Be informed – research all of the candidates, at the federal, state, and local, and any referendums on the ballot. Check out BallotReady to find information about candidates, referendums, and more. To see where the presidential candidates stand on certain issues, read Campus Election Engagement Project’s 2020 Presidential Candidate Guide.
Check your registration status. You can look up your registration status, registration address, party affiliation, etc.
Register to vote! If you are not registered to vote, you can quickly and easily register at centerforvoterinformation.org/register. In some places you may be able to register to vote at a polling place and then actually vote right away.
Know where your polling place is. Use this polling place locator to find your polling place.
Are you able to vote early? What is the deadline? Check your state’s early voting information here.
Do I need to bring an ID to vote? If so, what type of ID? Check to see your state’s requirements at Ballotpedia’s voter ID page.
Create a voting plan. How do you plan to vote – in person on November 3, early in-person, or with a mail-in (absentee) ballot?
Stay safe. Consider how to best maintain your safety while voting during a pandemic.
- All states have early voting! You don’t need to have an excuse to vote early.
- Every state allows mail-in voting, but some have different rules on who can participate. Request your absentee ballot.
Are there specific issues you feel passionate about? Contact your elected officials and let them know where you stand on issues that matter to you.
Encourage your family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to vote!

Other Helpful Resources:

The Center of Voting Information is a non-profit committed to providing resources and tools to help voting-eligible citizens register and vote in upcoming elections. Read their voting information here.

Rock the Vote is a trusted nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people. Check out their nationwide voting information.

Vote411.org is a “one-stop-shop” for election related information, providing nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information about the election process.

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register and Vote in your State Resource

The League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. They work to register voters and provide election information through voter guides.

Cancer in a political issue.

If you would like more information about engaging in advocacy in the cancer community, visit https://TriageCancer.org/Advocacy.