Voting- This is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you

This weekend and on Tuesday election day, I will be participating in a series of voter protection activities. I will be making calls to let people know about their voting rights and will also have a volunteer slot at the polls on Tuesday to assist in voter education and protection.

Anyone who has been following along with my story knows that I only have so much energy every day and on any day that I over exert myself, I am bound to make myself super sick.

So, I have carefully planned and allotted my energy to be able to do these tasks. And I am assuming the risk of potentially reinfecting myself with a deadly disease that is already ravishing my body by participating in an in-person volunteer activity.

Why? Because some things are worth the risk and voting rights are just that important to me.

Every single person who lives in America has had someone fight and die to preserve their voting rights. For someone like me, a woman and person of color, that struggle took many, many lives and a lot of perseverance.

Voting is one of the most patriotic acts you can do. As John Lewis stated, it is one of our most powerful forms of non-violent action. It is also the best way to honor the sacrifices of those who came before us.

I, like many of those who will read this, have already voted. But, if you are reading this and you haven’t yet voted, I urge you to vote.

Here in Georgia, if you planned to vote by absentee ballot, you can still return your ballot to a ballot box or to your county’s elections office and it will count as long as it is received before 7:00 p.m. on election night.

If you mailed your ballot and are not sure it’s going to get there on time, you can check the status of your ballot and if it looks like it’s not going to be received on time, you can still go vote in person and ask them to cancel your absentee ballot.

If you vote in person on election day, as long as you are in line by 7:00 p.m., you have the right to vote and they cannot turn you away. If there’s any question or doubt about whether or not you have the right to vote, in most cases, you can at least cast a provisional ballot.

The effort that I am making to protect other’s right to vote I consider to be a privilege and a duty.

And hey, if I can do all this, then you can do your part and vote.

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