Increasingly, states are purging voter rolls for various reasons. Be proactive and check your registration status before every election so you are not denied the right to vote. Remember, if you show up to vote and are denied a ballot because of questions about your registration status, you can request a provisional ballot. This allows you to cast your vote while your registration status is being determined. However, it is best to avoid that situation by learning how to check your voter registration status at vote.gov.
Make a Voting Plan
This might seem a bit unnecessary now, but you are a busy professional. Work gets busy and life sometimes gets even busier. Making a voting plan now will help you figure out exactly how voting will fit in with your already busy schedule. Check the early voting periods offered in your area to see if they include weekends or align with already scheduled off time, a lighter patient day at the office or a day when you might be able to vote before or after work.
If it’s not possible to vote early, talk with your colleagues now and work together to formulate an Election Day plan that will give all of you an opportunity to go to the polls. By planning ahead, you can make sure you get to the polls in a way that works best for you and creates the least amount of stress possible.
Conclusion
The act of voting is more than just a civic duty; it is a powerful tool for shaping the future of our communities and nation. In a time where every vote can make a difference, participating in elections is not only a right but a responsibility that can lead to impactful change. Whether or not you like the outcome of a given election, remember that by voting for our leaders you are doing something that not many people throughout the course of human history have had the privilege of doing. It may be the most important and consequential right of all. We encourage you to enthusiastically exercise that right at every opportunity.
Joseph Cantrell, JD, is ACR’s director of state affairs and community relations.
