Prepare to Vote: Speak Up and Stand Up for the Country You Believe In

I admit that I have not always taken my right to vote seriously. There have been times when I've returned from work exhausted with a long to-do list and I've chosen to stay home rather than go to the polls. Just as bad there have been times when I got to the polls and I didn't even know anything about the people running for office. It takes deliberate effort and planning to vote in the United States. I am thinking about what I can do to be better prepared in the days ahead to vote. I hope you'll join me in some or all of these activities.

1. Find out when upcoming local, state, and national elections are. Mark your calendar. 
2. Figure out how you will get to the polls and the time you will go. It's often inconvenient to make time for the polls and it does take pre-planning for most Americans.
3. Find out who is running for office and make time to read about the candidates. Make sure that the information your are reading is legitimate, and try to see the candidates in person too. The earlier you try to see or meet with the candidates the better chance you'll have to talk with those candidates and discuss your points of view.
4. Read about the issues the candidates will be discussing. Think about where you stand on those issues.
5. Join a voter's group and work with them to encourage others to vote.
6. Plan a voting party and invite others to drive to the polls with you and perhaps share a meal before or after you vote.
7. Make sure that your family members vote. Make sure that college students who will be away during elections get absentee ballots. Have a family night to discuss the candidates either in person or via an online chat if you live far from one another.
8. If you have candidates you feel strongly about, actively support them.
9. Power up your phone before you head to the polls so you can film an impropriety around the polling booths (I don't think you can use it at the polling station, but I have to read about this.)

Now as I make this long list, even I am a bit daunted by the time it will take to be an active citizen, but when I think about what's happening now in our government, I realize that it's really important that the people we vote for and pay to do the job of running our country are people who will stand up for our rights and democratic ideals. I will be looking for candidates that support the following:

• affordable, quality health care for all citizens.
• increase in service workers in schools, hospitals, social service agencies, parks, and environmental protection agencies.
• greater support for environmental and natural resource protection.
• modern technology that's environmentally friendly and life enhancing
• looking forward not backward
• respect for all peoples: all cultures, genders, races, religions, body types, ways of living as long as they don't hurt others, and interests. 
• quality, equitable public education for all learners K-college.
• a country that respects all religions, but does not support any religions with tax dollars
• efforts to increase the infusion of arts, recreation, clean and inviting natural spaces in every community
• better supports for families 
• quality basic needs for all including shelter and nutritious foods
• better taxation laws that create opportunity for all Americans not just some
• working towards better global partnerships that focus on issues that countries share such as environmental protection, poverty, immigration, trade, transportation, space exploration, and more. 

I've got some work to do to ready to vote. This is a good time to make your voting readiness list and prepare to vote for the people who will be paid by your tax dollars to lead a country that supports you, your family, and neighbors in ways that are profitable and positive.