Learn from My Mistakes: Tips for Voting in 2020
“Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people" — Harry Emerson Fosdick
2020 has been quite the year… Prince Harry & Meghan Markle leave the royal family, the appearance of murder hornets, Australian brush fires, the extreme volatility of the stock market, the COVID-19 pandemic, the tragic passings of NBA legend Kobe “The Black Mamba" Bryant, Chadwick “The Black Panther/King T’Challa" Boseman, & Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Black Lives Matters protests, the devastating explosion in Beirut, and the US West Coast wildfires to name a few things.
2020 also brings a significant election in the United States of America between the incumbent Republican Donald Trump and the challenging Democrat Joe Biden. Many credible political sources anticipate there will be record high voter turnout because of the many issues Americans are currently facing. With that in mind, my brother and I headed to the polls ahead of time to participate in early voting. We both admit we were completely under prepared for the marathon that we were about to embark on. Here are some nuggets of wisdom I was able to gather while waiting in line:
- Get there early or during off-peak hours — I waited in a line of a couple hundred people for over 8 hours, despite arriving 30 minutes early to the poll opening. It was also an adventure to find a parking spot for my car because so many individuals had driven there. Plan to get to your polling location as early as you can or when you feel others will not because it may save you a lot more time on the back end.
- Come prepared — It goes without saying you should research the candidates ahead of time. Not just for the federal election, but the state and local, as well. However, bring all of the necessary supplies for a wait lasting a couple of hours plus some more. Items I observed that are particularly useful are comfortable clothes & shoes, a rain coat/jacket, an umbrella, a mask, hand sanitizer, a camping/fold-able chair, food/snacks/beverages, a portable charger with cable for your phone, headphones, a book, a gaming system like the Nintendo Switch, etc. In these situations, it is far better to over prepare than to under prepare.
- Bring a family member or friend — It is likely going to be a long wait, so why not bring some good company to hang out with? Not only are you helping a loved one fulfill their civic duty of voting for their elected officials, but you can spend some quality time with one another.
- Be patient and it will be worth it — At face value, it may seem like a waste of time to wait a solid majority of your day for a process that takes a few minutes. However, please remember you are engaging in an act that people have fought and died for. You get to use your voice to make real change and affect your community. Stay the course because yes, your vote matters.
- Remember to grab an “I Voted" sticker — How else are you going to let your social media friends know that you voted? Jokes aside, that sticker may be something small, but it could remind someone else that they need to head to the polls. Elections really are a network effect, so do your part.
I truly do hope everyone reading this can head to their local polling location and be in-and-out in a few minutes. However, hopefully this article will be able to help out even just one person who sees a line that looks to stretch for miles. Thank you for your time and attention!
