During this challenging year, what have been some of your favorite things to keep your spirits up? Personally, my first has been to take a long drive while listening to Marty Robbins sing “El Paso” and Waylon Jennings singing “Luckenbach, Texas.” I sing along loudly knowing no one can hear, but I’m reassured in the beauty of the classic country music of my youth and the fact that I still know most of the words.
The second would be a backyard patio dinner with friends who have known me for years, so that we can laugh ‘til it hurts over great food, wine and stars in the night sky.
And finally, I have long looked forward to voting this year. I’m planning on voting early because during this most awful period, voting is something to remind me of the good things to come after this Nov. 3. Elections are always about the positive the possibility of good policy resulting in real change for everyone who calls themselves an American or a Texan.
Our country and our state are in a bad place. Division is never a smart way to govern, but we’ve been content to operate from that dysfunctional position for far too many years now. It’s not odd or funny. It’s dangerous. So, the act of voting is one way one woman can cast a ballot and feel good about a brighter future.
And the excitement is already here, with early voting beginning this week and voters already casting their mail-in ballots. But as voting ramps up, sure enough, we have faced a last-minute challenge by Gov. Greg Abbott to limit counties’ ability to provide locations for voters to hand-deliver a mail-in ballot. The state’s action, and its resulting legal battle, have brought added confusion to an already exceptional election year.
Make no mistake, this is an attempt to limit your opportunity to cast your ballot and is a blatant act of voter suppression. These sites provide a secure, monitored way to turn in an absentee ballot with public health and safety at the heart of its goal. The creative solutions that our county elections administrators made (with the already-limited authority the state provides them) in the middle of a global health crisis is something to applaud, not prevent. Look for more news in the coming days as the courts decide the issue.
In case you have any doubt in mind, this is your reminder that your vote matters; if it didn’t, our leaders wouldn’t try so hard to find new ways to suppress it. Voters are enthusiastic like never before, and those in power are running scared.
First things first, make your own plan to vote now and make your voice heard, whether by mail, early in person, or in person on Election Day. Want to vote early? Polls are open Tuesday, Oct. 13 and run through Friday, Oct. 30. Prefer to wait until the big day? Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
You can find information about voter ID requirements, hours of operation, and polling locations nearest you at votetravis.com. If you vote in person, poll workers will be there armed and ready with hand sanitizer, gloves and plexiglass to keep folks safe at the polls.
In addition, groups like the Texas Civil Rights Project, Common Cause, the ACLU, and many others have formed Texas Election Protection, an extensive, nonpartisan coalition of organizations and volunteers working around the clock to uphold the rights of voters in the great state of Texas. These gropus are always at the center of the fight for voting rights protections, but given the unique challenges and stakes this year, they have upgraded their efforts exponentially to ensure every eligible voter who wants to can cast their ballot.
These groups will have a roving poll monitor program, providing a voter defense against voter intimidation, lack of accessibility at polling locations, and wrongful denial of eligible voters who try to cast their ballot.
They have also established a toll-free hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) running through the end of Election Day. This resource is also available in Spanish (888-VE-Y-VOTA), AAPI languages, ASL and more. Find more details at texasvoterprotection.org.
If you have any questions about how to vote, visit the website or our own Travis County elections site and don’t hesitate to call the voter protection hotline in your language of choice.
This election, I hope you’ll realize your own personal satisfaction from voting for yourself and for a brighter future. God Bless Texas.
Rep. Celia Israel represents House District 50, which includes Pflugerville. Follow her on Twitter @celiaisrael, or like her on Facebook at fb.com/CeliaIsraelTX.
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