Disclaimer: This blog covers American elections for American citizens.

Today’s Colin’s Column blog post is simple: How do you register to vote, why is it important to vote, and how can you do homework to better educate yourself for local (and general) elections?

In the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter and anti-racism movements, I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how I can help. Me. Another white male with a platform. 

Earlier this month, I noticed three of my favorite Yankees, CC Sabathia, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge, all posted on their social media feeds about “Vote The Change” on #SocialReformSunday. The purpose behind the post and the movement is to say that when we all vote, we can change our communities. Don’t just hope for change. VOTE for change.

A little background:

• When We All Vote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.

• It was launched in 2018 by co-chairs Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw.

I think it’s an awesome resource and one I want to shout out and highlight. The site is very intuitive and on the home page right at the top there are three easy buttons to click:

1. Register to vote

2. Pledge to vote, where it says you'll help three friends register or remind them to vote in the next election

3. And finally, for people like me, a button to check registration status and to make sure I am actually registered like I say I am

It took me twenty seconds to confirm that I was registered AND they provide you with a link to updated voting information in your district for the remainder of the calendar year.

So cool!

And that’s how the idea for this blog was born!

But for those of you that know me, you know that I’ve always been more involved and aware of politics than most. I was a political major in college, and my love for politics came from my maternal grandmother who was actively involved in politics up in Scranton, Pennsylvania — so it dates back quite a while. But I’ll admit that I have slacked in being as aware as I can be in local elections. I get excited for presidential elections, as most folks do, but I can be better about understanding what’s going on around me in my hometown. That’s a pledge I am taking from here on out. I am not perfect, I am just here trying to help and educate.

One of the most important rights of American citizens is the right to vote. Citizens over the age of eighteen cannot be denied the right to vote, regardless of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. However, in every state except North Dakota, citizens must register to vote, and laws regarding the registration process vary by state.

So unless you live in North Dakota, then you NEED to register to vote if you want to vote. And as I outlined above, you SHOULD want to vote.

If you want to register through the official government website then head over to https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

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Voting issues are going to vary depending on where you live. This is another reason why it’s so important to be involved in local elections. Presidential elections are important, but local elections shape the country much more yet are more widely ignored by citizens. Not only should you want to know who you are voting for and what they represent, but economic and social situations are different across the country. There are some overlapping similarities, but I’d be hard-pressed to believe that the voting issues in Syracuse, New York, or Scranton, Pennsylvania are similar to what is important in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Locally, you may be concerned about road repairs, school and library improvements, or a new park for kids. But your best friend in “XYZ” city may have different concerns. Generally speaking, as of today, there are also concerns with racism and the COVID-19 pandemic. You don’t know any of this if you are ignoring news altogether. 

Look, I get it: the news can suck. It’s depressing, it’s biased, and it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s fake. But if you take the time to sort through the noise you can find reputable sources. One great resource I like to shout out is NPR’s daily podcast “Up First”. Each podcast episode is roughly 12-14 minutes each day and covers 3-4 major topics across the country. Listen to it on 2X speed and you are done in 5-6 minutes. That’s it! For local news, I actually still rely on traditional newspapers (but the online version). Each area may have additional resources you may enjoy, but I promise you that not all journalists are out to deceive, and if you think you don’t have time to listen, read and educate yourself, YOU ARE WRONG. 

Registering to vote and exercising that right by voting is a privilege you have as an American citizen that a lot of other folks in the world would literally die (and have died for) to have. Don’t underestimate that element. And I promise you, your vote matters more than you think it does -- especially in local elections. Because there is usually such little turnout for local elections, 50-100 votes can actually swing an election to one candidate or another. That’s not asking a lot, folks! And if you’re worried about your vote counting in the bigger elections then you may want to consider your place of residence. When my wife and I lived in New York our votes were meaningful, but not nearly as impactful as they are in North Carolina. I get it: Not everyone can just pick up and move, but instead of complaining that you are going to move to Canada, how about you buck up and move to a swing state and do something that actually makes a difference?

That’s how powerful YOUR vote can be.

Please share this blog, share this knowledge, and share your enthusiasm to vote with as many folks as you can between now and November 3rd. And remember, if you aren’t yet registered, you are running against time to get that done before the deadline that will allow you to vote in the very important general election on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020.