I'm generally not a fan of sentences that begin with "No matter your political leanings, ..." But today I'm doing just that. And I promise this will be as non-partisan as I can possibly be.
No matter your political leanings, please do not let ANY polls factor in to whether or not you will vote. If you've already voted, that's awesome. If not, please, please, pretty please get out and vote on Tuesday. People have quite literally died to ensure that future generations are able to exercise this right. We are those generations.
I recently watched the movie Suffragette, which chronicles the struggles of women in England in the early 20th century who were beaten, jailed, and lost their families and sometimes their lives while fighting for the vote. At the end of the movie there is a running list of various countries around the world and when women were given the right to vote. Probably the most astonishing one on this list for me was Switzerland, 1971. I fully admit to knowing nothing about Switzerland's political history, but seriously? 1971?!
No matter your political leanings, don't ignore down-ballot races. Pay attention to Senate and House candidates, even at the state level. Do some research on the judges up for election in your area. Don't blow off the city council. These people really will have a say in your future. And for those who don't believe their vote counts, these are the places where your vote absolutely counts.
No matter your political leanings, take the high road after election day. I know that's a pipe dream, but no matter the outcome, we all have to live with it, and we really do need to all work together.
Well said, Gwen!
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