Make Your Vote Count on Election Day

by Joyce Remy

This year, many important races will be decided on Tuesday, November 2. So be sure that your voice is heard in this election! Numerous issues impacting seniors are at stake health care, Medicare, Social Security, the cost of prescription drugs and the Medicare prescription drug benefit, economic and national security, housing...the list is long.

The Election

Important Dates:

• The last day to register to vote is October 2.
  
• If you do not wish to go to the poll on November 2, you can register to vote absentee either for this election only, or as an ongoing absentee voter. You can now request your absentee ballot online, or by phone at (206) 296-VOTE (8683).  Do so as soon as possible, to ensure you receive your ballot on time.
  
• On Election Day, November 2, the polls are open between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. If you don't know your polling location, click here to find out where to go.

For more information, the King County Elections website contains information about the upcoming election, including:

• How to Vote
• Registering to Vote
• Voting by Absentee Ballot
  

The Candidates

The League of Women Voters website includes information about how to vote. To help voters make the important decision of whom and what to vote for, the site also offers information about candidates. Their DemocracyNet (Dnet) features an online election tool, searchable by zip code, that allows you to see the positions of national and statewide candidates on various issues, such as healthcare, education, jobs and the environment. The site also includes contact information for elected officials, to make it easy to write a letter to your congressperson.

The Issues

If you are like most of us, figuring out where we stand on important issues and which issues are important can be confusing! Public Agenda, a non-profit organization dedicated to unbiased public opinion research, offers the "First Choice" research tool  designed to help you decide which issues are the most important to you, and where you stand.

And just for fun....

The New York Times One Hundred Years of Presidential Elections takes a look back at presidential elections for the last 100 years, with articles and editorials, trivia quizzes, and presidential facts. Do you still have your "I Like Ike" button?