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Produced by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division August 2008

THE RIGHT TO VOTE:. YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. Produced by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division August 2008. I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom. - Bob Dylan. WHO can register to vote?. U.S. citizen

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Produced by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division August 2008

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  1. THE RIGHT TO VOTE: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Produced by the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division August 2008

  2. I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom. - Bob Dylan

  3. WHO can register to vote? • U.S. citizen • 18 years old by the date of the next election • Resident of Tennessee • A place where you live to which you definitely intend to return • You can only have one residence • Homeless persons can register to vote but must provide information regarding location of habitation • Must not have been convicted of a felony • Under certain circumstances you can regain your right • Visit the State Election Commission’s website at http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/election/webcrime.htm

  4. WHAT if I am not a resident of Tennessee? • Register in your home state • Vote by absentee ballot • Contact your home county’s election commission

  5. WHAT if I register in Tennessee but am not living there when election day comes? • Vote by absentee ballot • Contact your home county’s election commission

  6. WHAT am I voting for? • Depends on Election • U.S. President/Vice President • U.S. Congress • State Legislature • Local Issues

  7. WHAT does a ballot look like? Each ballot is different, depending on what you’re voting for, but this is a sample ballot from the 2004 presidential election

  8. In person: County Election Commission TN Department of Safety (Motor Vehicle Division) TN Department of Health (WIC program) TN Department of Human Services TN Department of Mental Health TN Department of Veterans’ Affairs Public Libraries County Clerk’s Office Register of Deeds’ Office By mail: County Election Commission Office Post Office HOW do I register to vote? File a voter registration form with your local county election commission

  9. WHO should I contact with questions about registering in my county? • Contact your county’s election commission • To find your county’s election commission, visit the State Election Commission at http://tnsos.org/elections/election_commissions.php

  10. WHEN do I have to register? • In order to participate in an election, a qualified voter must be properly registered no later than thirty (30) days before the election. • Deadline for November 4, 2008 election: October 6, 2008 • The election commission office will process any by-mail voter registration form that has been postmarked at least thirty (30) days before the election • In other words, get it in the mail by October 6, 2008.

  11. WHEN do I vote? • Primary elections: February 5, 2008 • General elections: November 4, 2008 • Absentee ballots: Must be delivered by postal mail and received no later than the close of polls on election day • Early voting: October 15 – October 30, 2008

  12. WHY should I vote? • Because it’s your future • Because it’s your right • 1870: The 15th Amendment to U.S. Constitution allowed racial and ethnic minorities to vote • 1920: The 19th Amendment to U.S. Constitution allowed women to vote • Because it only takes a few minutes • Go on election day • Go early for early voting (check with your election commission for early voting dates and centers) • Because your vote can have a tremendous impact

  13. The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour Japanese Proverb

  14. WHAT am I voting for? • Issues in the 2008 election • Economy/Taxes • Education • Environment • Health Care • Immigration • Jobs • War/Terrorism • What issues are important to YOU?

  15. WHY is my vote important? George W. Bush v. Albert C. Gore Election 2000 Closest vote in modern history

  16. Close votes In New Mexico, Gore won by just 366 votes Other Candidates Bush Gore

  17. More close votes In Florida, Bush won by just 537 votes Nader Other Gore (48.84%) Bush (48.85%) It took WEEKS to count such a close vote

  18. Election 2000 Timeline • November 7, 2000 – Election Night • 7:50 p.m. News stations declare GORE the winner in Florida • 2:30 a.m. News stations declare BUSH the winner in Florida • 4:30 a.m. News stations declare presidential race TOO CLOSE TO CALL • November 8 – December 12, 2000 • Hundreds of thousands of votes are recounted by hand. Both sides file lawsuits. No one knows who our next president will be! • December 12, 2000 – U.S. Supreme Court decides • George Bush becomes the 43rd President of the United States

  19. The Lesson? EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!

  20. The margin is narrow, but the responsibility is clear. -John F. Kennedy

  21. WHO am I voting for? • Barack Hussein Obama (Democratic) • Cynthia Ann McKinney (Green Party, Peace and Freedom) • Ralph Nader (Independent, Natural Law Party) • Robert Laurence 'Bob' Barr (Libertarian) • John Sidney McCain (Republican) • Charles O. 'Chuck' Baldwin (U.S. Taxpayers/Constitution Party) 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidates** ** in alphabetical order, announced candidates as of 8/12/08

  22. The Democratic Party http://www.democrats.org Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org Independent American Party http://www.usaip.org The Libertarian Party http://www.lp.org The Republican Party http://www.rnc.org U.S. Taxpayers/Constitution Party http://www.constitutionparty.com Find links to additional party organizations at: http://www.tba.org/YLD/voter_awareness.html Become Informed! Visit Party Websites:

  23. Become Informed! • Project Vote Smart http://www.votesmart.org • SelectSmart.com http://selectsmart.com/president/2008/comparethem.html • 2decide.com http://www.2decide.com/table.htm • The Washington Posthttp://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/ Visit Independent Websites and Compare Candidates: Local newspapers and television stations have information on candidates in national, state, and local elections

  24. Become Informed! Want to learn more? Check out the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s voter awareness webpage at http://www.tba.org/YLD/voter_awareness.html for information about: • Presidential debate dates • Electoral College information

  25. Do Your Part! So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote I do not possess myself. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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