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How to make your vote count!

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    Skip to the end for how to do FUN texting.
     
    WHY BOTHER?
     
    Picture Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.  He would look at the political landscape and say, “Why bother?  My vote doesn’t matter anyway.”
     
    It’s a good thing he wasn’t voting in all these long-ago elections:[i]
    In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control over England.
    In 1649, one vote caused Charles I to be executed.
    In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German.
    In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
    In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from being removed from office.
    In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a Republic.
    In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford Hayes the Presidency of the USA.
    In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler the leadership of the Nazi Party.
    In 1941, one vote saved the Selective Service process here in the USA, just weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked.
     
    For that matter, he could have been one of the voters to make a difference in the Primary 2026 election here in Cass County, Nebraska. 
    In that same election, voter turnout across the state meant less than 1/3 of the voters  (28.5%-358,538) decided many positions on behalf of 1.257 million voters.  Did those other 808,365 not want to have any say?
     
    Two years before in Lincoln, about 16% of the people decided public policy for 300,000 people!
     
     
    Likely, if you are on our VIP newsletter list, you will be voting – BUT maybe you can do something to motivate others to see their responsibility and value to vote.  Remind people that October 23rd is the deadline to register to vote – in their county clerk or county election commissioner’s office. 
    Douglas (12220 W Center Road Omaha, NE 68144 (Northwest corner of Bel Air Plaza)  (402) 444 - 8683 (VOTE)
    Sarpy (1102 E. 1st Street, Ste #1   Papillion, NE 68046    402-593-2167)
    Cass (145 N. 4th Street-Rm 201, Plattsmouth, NE 68048  402-296-9309)
    Lancaster (601 N 46th Street   Lincoln, NE 68503-3720  402-441-7311)
    Washington (1555 Colfax Street Blair, NE  68008   402-426-6822)
    Seward (529 Seward Street   Seward, NE 68434   402-643-2883)
    Dodge (435 N Park  Fremont, NE 68025   402-727-2767)
     
    Ideas for encouraging others to vote:
    -          Use social media (Facebook, Next Door, Linked In, etc.)
    -          Email people (connect), get a promise that they will vote (commit), let them know of resources to help them vote, like VIP!, Check to see their plan to vote (in person at the polls, or at the election office, or by mail). Ask others to do the same with their circle of influence.
    -          Talk to your neighbors – VIP’s information fits by neighborhood
    -          Talk to people across the state – the 4 statewide issues are explained on VIP.
    -          Talk to your church!  (25% of Christians vote, 80% of Muslims vote.)
    -          Use these answers to some of the myths about voting
     
    Voting Myths
     
    If it says vote for 3, I have to.  Nope, typically for school board races there are up to 6 candidates and you are to vote for up to 3.  If there is one candidate you especially like, vote for 1!  Obviously, you want the candidate you like to be elected. If you vote for another one, too, you may aid that one in defeating your preferred candidate.
     
    My vote doesn’t count. Things will never change.  Now that sounds like Eeyore, again. We already have a change in Nebraska with the creation of two new parties.  America First.  Their site states, “We are the voice of Nebraskans who are done waiting. A conservative movement fighting for freedom, families, and a government that serves the people, not the political class.”   The other new party is the Nebraska Working People Party.  Their site states, “We believe Nebraska deserves a political party that puts people first — fighting for an economy that works for working families, not just the wealthy few. From Omaha to the Sandhills, we are standing up for every Nebraskan.”
    Again, those one vote counts stories are not to be ignored.
     
    I don’t like voting for the lesser of two evils.  Realistically, of course there are no people who don’t have some part of evil in their lives.  We don’t get to have Jesus on the ballot. Sometimes you're voting AGAINST someone, rather than FOR someone else. NOT voting is still voting. You've just given your vote to the wrong person.[ii]
     
    But now we do have a problem that many candidates have not answered VIP’s questions.  An attempt has been made for nearly every candidate on the 7 county’s ballots.  BUT if they are contacted by someone who has that name on their ballot, they might be more responsive.  We call those FUN (Follow Up Nudging) texts.
     
    Here’s an idea of what you could text to an unresponsive candidate.  Please use your own words.
     
    "Hi, my name is xxxxx.  I live in [location].  Your name is on my ballot and I would like to know how you would represent me, if elected.  I like to use www.voterinformation.org to learn about candidates, so I was disappointed to see you haven't answered yet.  Please help me be informed.  I understand there's a "candidate access" button on the home page."
     
    Email me your availability to spend 10 minutes, your name and county, and I will send you the texting numbers for the “missing” candidates on your ballot.