Please vote

.. From a neighbor who cares deeply

“I don’t like either of the candidates” “It’s rigged– what’s the point?” “My vote doesn’t matter.” Sound familiar? We all have friends who are on the fence about voting. Talking to them about it can be awkward or frustrating. Our country has held successful elections through good times and bad, and this November is no different. In an effort to support, empower individuals and drive positive outcomes I encourage you to vote on Election Day or during Early Election regardless of your party affiliation. Also please encourage registered voters at the dinner table, and in your neighborhood to stand in solidarity with Americans that exercise their right to vote.

This principle is nonpartisan and inherently American. I believe that meaningful change can come from the ballot box in elections where elected leaders impact our lives. Chief Justice Earl Warren stated “The right to vote freely for the candidate of one’s choice is of the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government. … Undoubtedly, the right of suffrage is a fundamental matter in a free and democratic society. Especially since the right to exercise the franchise in a free and unimpaired manner is preservative of other basic civil and political rights, any alleged infringement of the right of citizens to vote must be carefully and meticulously scrutinized.” Justice Hugo Black has said “No right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws under which, as good citizens, we must live. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.”

If you’ll be 18 by the general election you can participate in the whole process! All voters need ID. BUT ID is not required when voting absentee.
You’ll need One of the following Typically acceptable ID:

• driver’s license or state ID
• U.S. Passport
• ID issued by the your state Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• ID issued by the federal or your state government
• U.S. Military photo ID
• State issued handgun carry permit

• Student ID is NOT accepted

You might be hearing about voting early a lot these days – it’s a convenient way to vote before Election Day, but it works differently in every state.
For Example Early Voting & Absentee Voting Rules. In FL follows:
Early voting dates: Oct. 24th-Oct. 31st

If you haven’t voted, find out what Your Ballot will look like. Due to the effect of COVID-19 and the rapid change of elections and polling places, please refer to your state page where you can enter some basic information: check your voter registration and verify your registration status, party affiliation, registered address, and other important details.re
Other non-partisan help can be found on:

• Project Vote Smart

Info on your representatives, including biographies, voting records, issue positions, and campaign contributions

• Vote 411 Voter Guide
• Voter guides by your location
• Voterly

Learn more about your elected officials, state government, and how to vote in your state.

• Know Your Vote
• Campus Elections Engagement Project
• The Skimm Issue Guide

From Wikipedia:
The issue of voting rights in the United States has been contested throughout United States history.

Eligibility to vote in the United States is established both through the United States Constitution and by state law. Several constitutional amendments (the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth specifically) require that voting rights of U.S. citizens cannot be abridged on account of race, color, previous condition of servitude, sex, or age for those above 18. In the absence of a specific federal law or constitutional provision, each state is given considerable discretion to establish qualifications for suffrage and candidacy within its own respective jurisdiction; in addition, states and lower level jurisdictions establish election systems. Beyond qualifications for suffrage, rules and regulations concerning voting have been contested in the past.

A historic turning point arrived when the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren ruled in 1964 that both houses of all state legislatures had to be based on election districts that were relatively equal in population size, under the “one man, one vote” principle. The Warren Court‘s decisions on two previous landmark cases—Baker v. Carr (1962) and Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)—also played a fundamental role in establishing the nationwide “one man, one vote” electoral system. Since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Twenty-fourth Amendment, and related laws, voting rights have been legally considered an issue related to election systems. In 1972, the Burger Court ruled that state legislatures had to redistrict every ten years based on census results reducing rural bias.

The District of Columbia and five major territories of the United States have one non-voting member each (in the U.S. House of Representatives) and no representation in the U.S. Senate. People in the U.S. territories cannot vote for president of the United States. People in the District of Columbia can vote for the president because of the Twenty-third Amendment.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Joe Mosca