Background:
Do I need to vote? How do I vote? When do I vote? Does my vote even count? We’re giving you a non-bias how-to-vote and why it matters?
Action: Register to Vote
Register to vote
You can go to https://vote.gov/ and register online or download the National Mail Voter Registration Form.
You can fill it out onscreen and print the completed form, or print the blank form and fill it out by hand.
Remember to sign the form before mailing it to the location listed for your state.
Check the U.S. Vote Foundation to find your state's deadline for registering. You can also check your state or territory's election office for more details.
This could be as much as a month before an election
You cannot vote online in the United States. You either need to vote in-person at your official polling place or cast an absentee ballot.
Bring your identification
About 50% of states accept only photo IDs. These include driver’s licenses, state-issued ID cards, military ID cards, and passports. Some states do offer a free voter photo ID card if you don’t have any of these other valid forms of photo ID.
Some states may accept some types of non-photo ID, including birth certificates, social security cards, bank statements, or utility bills.
This interactive map of US – tells you what your state’s requirements are for ID for voting
Action: Determine - what are you voting for? Are you ready to vote?
Ballotready.org is a great one-stop shop once you are registered. Type in your address and it will give you all relevant information about your registration status, dates for upcoming elections, issues on the ballot you are eligible to vote on, and your polling place.
You can bring your notes, a voter's guide, or a sample ballot into the voting booth. This frees you from having to memorize your choices for candidates and ballot initiatives. Some polling places do restrict cell phone use, so bring paper copies instead of using your phone. Check the rules with your local election office before you go.
Action: Participate in local elections
If you’re feeling frustrated that your votes in larger elections don’t matter, local elections are the place you can get involved to make the max amount of difference in your community! Local elections may be on a different rotation than the national elections (instead of every 2 or 4 years, they often take place every year and do not always line up with federal or even state elections) so sometimes it’s hard to keep track of when election day is, contributing to low voter turnout (especially in young people). Those on the ballot in your local elections have authority over things like schools, housing, public transit, and police. Local laws and policies play a big role in shaping larger, federal policies, PLUS these laws directly affect you and your community.
Being an advocate for Human Trafficking means getting involved in your community and paying attention to things that contribute to the continuation of exploitation. When we’re talking about voting in local elections, this means looking at who is responsible for or who determines the policies feeding into issues such as policing budgets/policies, prosecutorial discretion, arrests, affordable housing, social service programs, managing health crises, and education curriculum. This also means being aware of gaps in your local system that may contribute to racial disparities or biases.
Who could be on the ballot in your next local election and what are they responsible for?
School Board - School board members make decisions on school budgets, curriculum, faculty (hiring, firing, tenure), and resource allocation. They hire the superintendent and can also determine the boundaries of each district.
Recent news: School boards have made decisions about public health policies (COVID-19, mask mandates, etc.), teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT), and teaching comprehensive and inclusive sex education (to include LGBTQIA+ topics)
Sheriff - Sheriffs set the tone for your local criminal justice procedures, such as arrest priorities, search warrants, use of force policies, and levels of cooperation with federal agencies (ex: ICE). Sheriffs are also often in charge of everything pertaining to the running of local jails –mental and healthcare services for inmates, food, and general jail conditions.
Prosecutors - Prosecutors have some freedom to decide the course of a prosecution, such as whether a juvenile is tried as an adult and whether a suspect is charged with a felony versus a misdemeanor. Prosecutors also determine what evidence is shared with the defense, set and offer plea bargains, and make recommendations to the court on subjects such as bail, sentencing, and pretrial detention. Prosecutors often do not have term limits.
Coroner - Coroners oversee death investigations and autopsies. About half of all jurisdictions appoint a Medical Examiner and Forensic Pathologists who are required to have a medical degree and experience, while the rest elect a Coroner, which does not require any medical degree or experience. In some jurisdictions, the Medical Examiner’s determination can be overruled by the elected coroner.
Trial Court Judges –Local courts handle most criminal and civil cases (separated further into family, landlord/ tenant, and general civil courts). Local judges are either elected or appointed depending on the state and jurisdiction.
You can find out about how your local court judges are seated here: https://ballotpedia.org/Local_trial_court_judicial_elections,_2021
City Council – City Council members are elected and have the power to set the city budget, tax rates, zoning laws, and public health and safety policies, as well as pass ordinances and resolutions pertaining to criminal and civil laws. Members are elected either based on district or using an “at large” system, depending on jurisdiction. In jurisdictions electing members based on districts, you only vote for the council member who will represent the district in which you live, whereas jurisdictions using an “at large” system allow citizens to vote for all candidates in the entire jurisdiction with those candidates receiving the most votes winning seats on the council. At-large voting systems are often discriminatory, particularly towards voters of color.
Mayor – Mayors often have the power to prepare the city budget, appoint advisory boards, and enforce local legislation. Mayors also oversee the city’s emergency services departments (fire, police, EMS) and other main departments (education, housing, health, and sanitation). They appoint the department heads who oversee and set the policies for each of these agencies.
County Commissioners – The county Commissioners may also be called the County Board of Supervisors, County Executives, or Freeholders in your jurisdiction. They are responsible for many financial concerns in your county such as reviewing and adjusting the county budget and setting taxes.
They also represent county issues in front of state and federal legislative bodies and are responsible for administering elections and registering voters. In some counties, this board oversees the administration of social service programs [Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP)], re-entry programs, environmental programs, and other state mandated programs. Overseeing these programs often includes granting contracts to companies providing these services.
Planning and Zoning Commissions - Planning and Zoning Commissions can be appointed or elected. Their recommendations decide building permits, determining which parts of town are for parks versus businesses, how communities are zoned, and the location of affordable housing (which can drive segregation via the geographic concentration of housing on the basis of race and poverty).
Resources:https://vote.gov/https://www.usa.gov/election-dayhttps://tminstituteldf.org/local-elections/