Forget about Netflix and chill – we’ve got to Get Out and Vote! This IQL resident (and candidate for Committee Person) explains why.
I’m too busy. I’m not interested. I don’t like my options. It’s inconvenient. This doesn’t affect me.
These sound like excuses from a friend who you’ve asked to meet for a beer but, in reality, these are the Census Report’s most common reasons for not voting.
If we are going to sit out this democratic action that allows us to pick those who will represent us, we need some better excuses.
Historically, American women and people of color have been legally excluded from the voting process. Through decades of advocacy and civil disobedience, Americans in every community have expanded the voting population. But there are still Americans who are legally excluded from this participation.
To not vote is to take these struggles for granted.
Work may be stressful and tiresome, the news cycle is exhaustive and depressing, the candidates may sound inauthentic and pandering, and your polling place may be more than a few blocks away.
It is easy to validate disengagement — but voting affects everyone and we can’t sit it out.
This May, we will vote for several important positions. We will be voting for candidates for Senator and Governor – representatives who govern Pennsylvania on the state and national level. We will be voting for candidates for Congress who can fight for environmental initiatives, access to technology and federal funding for Philly.
We will be voting for our State Representative and State Senator – our hard-working neighbors who advocate for us in Harrisburg. They join our neighborhood meetings and events – a vote for them is reinforcement that we are satisfied with their work, representation, and agenda.
And we are voting for Committee Person. This is a position you may not have heard of until recently. This position is a party representative who will remind you about Election Day, make suggestions on who will be a good voice for East Falls and represents your best interests on the most- local level.
Many of your neighbors want to be that person – and I am among them. I love this neighborhood and want it to grow with your best interests at heart.
I embrace the democratic process. I know that so many fought to expand voting rights because representation is important. By engaging with the process, we can pick representatives from committeeperson to U.S. Senate who match our values and political views.
This is not a plea to vote for me – this is a plea to vote.
So please, on May 15th, don’t oversleep or complain or make excuses. Just vote. Make a plan to educate yourself on the candidates, get to the polls, and encourage your friends to do the same.
This election is too important to sit out. If not for me, vote for East Falls.
Max Weisman is a candidate for Committeeperson in the 38th Ward, 12th Division. He owns a home on Indian Queen Lane with his fiancé and their cat. This is his first time running for an elected position. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram (where we grabbed a few the images in this post).
Enter address here to find your polling place.
Are you featuring all the candidates?
Sure! We are always taking submissions, would love to feature other candidates.