Voting is our responsibility
29 October 2024
As U.S. citizens and adults, voting is our responsibility. In 2020,158,407,854 Americans voted for President. As of 6:00 am, 29 October 2024, 46.5 million mail-in and early in-person votes were cast nationally, representing 29% of the 2020 votes or 25% of the 186.5 million registered voters in the U.S. as of September 2024.
Our responsibility is to decide which candidates, particularly for President and the other important offices, best represent our views and are in the country's best interest.
As adults, we should know that we cannot have it all. No candidate can possibly fulfill all of our expectations. We should think about the most important issues to us, what the candidates have done and are likely to do, and then make our choice.
There is no leader who will make the decision you want her or him to make 100 percent of the time. Your vote is a tool of hope for a better world. Use it wisely, for it is precious. Use it for others, for they are in need of your support, too.
It is important to judge candidates on what they have done, not just what they have say. When speaking to a group, we all tend to tell people what they want to hear. Most important is what the candidates are likely to do in office, based on their experience. Typically, it’s not that difficult to figure out.
I have sponsored a Voter Challenge for my neighboring communities (Berkley, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Southfield) in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. My goal is to increase voter turnout. It seems to me that this year, with early in-person voting and no excuse absentee voting in Michigan, every community should have a 90% turnout. In this challenge, every community that has at least a 75% turnout will win an award for a charity that they designate.
Note: Absentee ballots must be received by a voter’s local clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, except military and overseas ballots, which must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by their local clerk within 6 days after the election to be counted. I recommend that absentee voters drop off their ballots with their city - I would not trust the mail.
Prizes for 2024 Voter Challenge for charities selected by winning cities:
First place: $1000, second place: $500, third place: $250.
80% turnout: $500, 75% turnout: $250.
Cities only get one award.
For 2022, the winners and their charities were:
First place, Huntington Woods, 79.09% turnout, $1,000 given to the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) as part of the city’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative (see also Detroit Jewish News article 2021).
Second place, Pleasant Ridge, 76.03% turnout, $500 split between Ferndale Free Clinic and Ferndale Youth Assistance.
Third place, Berkley, 70.65% turnout, $250 split between Friends of Berkley Library and Friends of Berkley Parks & Recreation.
Voting is easy, and U.S. citizens can even register on Tuesday, November 5, the day of the election - there is no excuse not to vote. Note - the linked form was for the August 8 primary but the rules for same day registration are the same for the November 5 general election.
Here are some essays about voting:
Vote, 27 October 2024
I voted - how about you?, 5 October 2024
Vote for a better world, 26 November 2023
To the people who can vote but don't, shame on you, 31 October 2022
Every eligible citizen should vote, 18 October 2022
Don’t kvetch - vote! 16 October 2022
Why vote? 14 October 2022
The Importance of Voting, 27 September 2022
Voting to achieve success and improve your health, 12 September 2022
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