I have no wish to make this political, but I hope everyone in the United States is taking time to vote today if they haven’t already voted. To preserve your voting rights, you need to vote. It’s important to vote even in the off years.

I hope that you are taking the time to learn about the local issues in your area. It’s important to look at each issue and candidate that is on the ballot and consider how you personally feel about them. Learn about who is financing the candidates – it is often someone who doesn’t even live in your area.

Check out this website for one view of your local candidates. Vote 411 lets you put in your address so you can see who is on the ballot.

This sticker is from a few years ago.

If you are like us, you have been inundated with mail, email, text messages, radio ads and so forth. So much of it is negative and I try no to let that color my views of the candidates.

I have voted in every election since I was old enough to do so and regularly vote in the primary elections. Voting is a right and gives you an opportunity to let your voice be heard. Your candidates may not win, but you have a chance to speak up.

Personally, I would love to see major changes in how the voting districts are laid out, term limits, and campaign refinance.

The National Archives has some interesting history on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 here.

For more on voting rights over the history of the United States, check out this article.

You can read more about the laws governing voting on the U.S. Government website here.