Deb and I voted tonight, and we’d both like to explain to people in states who are not fortunate enough to have universal voting by mail exactly why it’s so important that you should.

Is voting by mail important to overcome voter suppression efforts such as limiting polling places in poor neighborhoods and sending “poll watchers” to question and intimidate voters important? Absolutely. Is it comforting to be able to avoid a public place during a pandemic? Yes. But there is a reason that EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this country should want to vote by mail in EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.

People speak in the media as if voting were a matter of checking “Biden/Harris” and maybe chucking in a vote for Senator and Governor and that’s it. But there were MORE THAN 30 things for us to vote on in our ballot. Some of them, like Commissioner of Public Lands or the Referendum on Long-Term Care Insurance, are going to have far more impact on us than our vote for President. If we had had to stand in line for hours or even if been able to get into one of those cushy rich white person polling places with no wait and hot croissant, would we have really had the time to research everything on that ballot? Voting by mail from home, we had the opportunity, time, and resources to become informed on every election, down to Superior Court Judge, Position 30. I know exactly how much the Proposition to revamp our trauma center will cost.

For those of you out there who are unfortunately still in places that don’t optimize your capacity to be an informed local voter, demand that right! Don’t let anyone scare you into thinking that mail-in voting is something exotic or dangerous. An engaged citizenry is powerful on, so grab anything that better enables you to be so.

Peace. Vote.