Election Day and Beyond

My Election Day To Do List:
1. Vote! Mail in your ballet. Stand in the huge line. Do what you have to do to cast your vote. It is one of the concrete things that citizens can do in this country. VOTE! If you don’t vote, don’t complain afterwards. Oh, and did I mention, VOTE!

2. Help other people Vote. Drive people to the polls. Cover for coworkers at work. Let your employees go and vote.

3. Don’t fuck with other peoples’ votes! Too many times our elections have been tainted because people have put up barriers and not let people vote, have interfered with the count or the recounting of votes. (Ohio 2004, Florida 2000, and lots of less publicized instances). If people are asking you to actively or passively get in the way of people voting, get the fuck out of the way. Go back to Step Number 2.

4. Watch the results come in. Cross your fingers. Pray. Rub your rabbit’s foot. Hope things go your way. Hope your candidates make it in to office. Hope the Propositions go your way.

5. If the results are unclear or very close, let the system work. We have methods for counting and recounting elections. There is no constitutional guarantee that all results will be in by Tuesday night. Sometimes it takes a few days or a week or two. Nothing bad will happen to us as a people if some districts or states need to be careful and recount things. Be patient.

6. If your candidates and issues lose, be cool, regroup and get busy working on the next election cycle. And make sure the winners represent you as well as those who voted for him/her.

7. If your candidates and issues win, be cool, regroup and get busy working on the next election cycle. And make sure the winners represent everyone, not just those who voted for him/her.

8. Make sure your new representatives at all levels of government are aware of your informed opinions on issues. Make sure your new representatives are representing you and your neighbors.

9. Make sure the people, parties and issues you are supporting are good for the country, the environment, and future generations.

10. Go back to step 1: VOTE!