Across political parties, socioeconomic status, ethnic heritage, religions, gender, and professions, I’m confident we all agree on one thing: 2020 is a bizarre year. Of course, 2020 is also a presidential election year.
Like most of us, I am a descendant of immigrants. My ancestors, probably like yours, came to this country seeking a better way of life for themselves and their descendants. Like so many immigrants, they brought little with them but worked hard to create that better life for their offspring.
One of my grandfathers never tired of bragging that although he quit school in eighth grade to work to feed his family, his four sons consisted of two Ph.D.s, one M.D., and one Mech.E.
I share this story to help explain my immense gratitude for not only what my ancestors left to me, but also the systems of this country that make it possible for me to stand on their great shoulders to become almost anything I want to. Perhaps the most fundamental of those is our democracy.
I am immensely aware of the fact that had I been born 100 years earlier, I would not have been able to vote for the president of my country (or anyone else) until I was 53 years old. To me, voting is not only a right and a tremendous privilege; voting is a crucial duty.
Yet, the bizarreness that is 2020 presents some interesting challenges for voting. We are inundated with information, but parsing through it can be exhausting. I hope the following resources will be helpful to you and yours.
I strongly encourage each of you to vote, and to do so thoughtfully, safely, and with gratitude for our ability to choose our leaders.
- How to Vote in Texas: Includes deadlines for absentee ballots; requests for absentee ballots must be received by Friday, Oct. 23.
- Know Your Voting Rights (Texas): Safely voting during a pandemic, forms of ID you need to bring to the polls, dealing with problems with your voter registration, addressing voter intimidation, and more.
- Vote Texas (Texas Secretary of State): Your rights at the polling place, e.g., asking for assistance and when and how to cast a provisional ballot.
- Absentee and Mail Voting Policies 2020 (each state)
- Protecting Against Voter Intimidation (nationwide): Includes explanation of voter intimidation acts prohibited by federal law and laws governing guns at polling places.
- State Fact Sheets (each state): Laws of each state regarding militia at polling places.