Its Election Day – VOTE!!

Today is Election Day in the US. Its time to make our voices heard.

Seniors comprise a powerful voting block. In the mid-term elections, 68% of US citizens over 65 cast their vote. Voter turnout amoung all ages increased in the 2018 elelctions, but seniors still lead the pack. We are a force to be reckoned with. I’m not telling you how to vote. In fact, if you are not in my neighborhood, I don’t even know what’s on your ballot. I’m just telling you to hold up the proud history of us savvy seniors and get out there and cast your ballot.

This year is not a presidential election, or even mid-term elections. But it is a very important election day none the less. Today’s election results will impact us far more than the national elections. Today we vote on what happens right here in our home towns. The people who decide things like what parks or senior centers to build, zoning laws, and property tax rates are on the ballot today. There are important propositions on the ballot today. (Be sure to read those carefully – they don’t always mean what they look like they mean.) The results of today’s elections will effect our daily lives.

Seniors rule the ballot box!

Seniors have a direct effect on election results, especially in “off-year: elections. Older people vote more often in mid-term and local elections. A study by Portland State University found that citizens over 65 were 7 times more likely to vote in local elections than those 18-34. Voter partipation by young folks is frequently in the single digits in local elections, even hotly contested Mayoral elections. These are the elections where seniors can make the most impact. In the Houston Mayoral election in 2015, 42.9% of people over 65 voted. Only 6.6% of eligible voters ages 18 – 34 cast their ballot. The Portland State University study states this means voters over 65 have 22 times the Electoral Clout of young voters. 22 times!!! When it comes to voting, we rock!!

If you don’t know where to vote, you can find your polling place by going to Vote.org or contacting your county clerk. In most counties here in southeast Texas, we can vote at any polling location in our county, but you may need to go to a specific polling location. You will need to bring a photo ID with you to be able to vote. To see a sample ballot before you go vote, check out the website for your local League of Women Voters.

Fellow seniors, we were the first generation to rock. Now let’s get out there and Rock the Vote! Every vote matters. Get out there and cast yours!