Natalia B. Dutra

Record-breaking voter turnout is making headlines across the US. People everywhere are casting their ballots for the November election. According to MSNBC, as of October 24th, the number of people who have voted has already surpassed one-third of total voters in the 2016 election, and about twenty percent of those votes were cast by people who did not participate in the presidential election four years prior.

Many of these votes are coming from typically underrepresented communities. A report from Tufts University shows that the number of young voters in states like Florida and North Carolina has more than quadrupled. Many of my friends, some who recently turned 18 and others who had simply never voted, felt an urgency to make their way to the polls. Latinx voters are also creating waves this election, with over 30 million people eligible to vote.

Whether you are voting in-person or absentee, it is important to have your voice heard. Our community has the power to influence the future of our country. Not only are we choosing the next president, we are choosing the next senator, the next sheriff, the next judge, the next school board member. More than likely, we will feel the direct impact of local officials like sheriffs, who have the power to reject harmful programs like 287(g), or school board officials, who decide the future of our children, in our daily lives. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to exercise your rights and vote. Your vote is your power!

Works Cited

MSNBC. “First-time Voters, Young Voters Making Their Voices Heard in 2020.” MSNBC.com, 24 Oct. 2020, www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/first-time-voters-young-voters-making-their-voices-heard-in-2020-94537797543.

Tufts University. “Absentee and Early Voting by Youth in the 2020 Election.” CIRCLE, 22 Oct. 2020, circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/absentee-and-early-voting-youth-2020-election.

NOTE: The opinions expressed in this blog are the opinions of the author only. It is not to be assumed that the opinions are those of GALEO or the GALEO Latino Community Development Fund. For the official position on any issue for GALEO, please contact Jerry Gonzalez, CEO of GALEO at jerry@galeo.org.

Questions or concerns about voting? Call us at 1-888-54GALEO (1-888-544-2536) or visit georgialatinovote.com.

¿Preguntas o inquietudes sobre la votación? Llámenos al 1-888-54GALEO (1-888-544-2536) o visite GeorgiaVota.com.

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Para comprometerse a votar por estas próximas elecciones, por favor visite bit.ly/P2VGALEO2020.