Since Gotham allowed me to regularly blog in this space I used this Sunday before Election Day to urge folks to exercise their right to vote.  It remains something I feel very strongly about.  The first professional remarks I ever drafted involved such participation in our electoral process.  An editorial I drafted during law school where I edited CONSCIENCE further developed the discussion.  I often focused on ways to induce greater participation.  Watching the early voting and vote by mail/absentee balloting numbers reported for this election suggest strong public support to make voting easier – and that making voting easier results in greater participation.  All good.

With the advent of early voting, I considered offering this commentary sooner. 2019’s offering on this topic, Voted yet?, also weighed an earlier appearance.  Maybe a future commentary will appear sooner.

In some ways, my message targets the stragglers to make sure they know, You Make A Difference When You Vote.

Marisa and I took the absentee route early and I already verified the Board of Elections has my ballot.  I took Shelly to an early voting site yesterday and she dropped off her absentee ballot ordered Monday on line and received Friday; she shared that the receptacle for the absentee ballot was almost stuffed full.

While I remain heartened by the early voting numbers across the United States, I still find great merit in the editorial I posted 4 decades ago. Some best examples of reforms proposed then include:

*instant voter registration when one votes,

*extending voting hours (early voting represents that to some extent) and

*making Election Day a national holiday.

Add to that online voting – the technology exists! Think about on-line banking and other secure on-line activity we engage in, including driver license renewals.

So if you have not already done so early, DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3. Please urge your family, friends, and colleagues to vote.   Voting Matters!

p.s. I share my take – Results Matter – on the November 3 outcome at Gotham New York Legal, lunchtime on November 4 (Contact Lisa Waterman for details.).

For some appropriate sounds to help you get through the next 72 hours more or less, please check out Songs to Inspire and/or State of Our Union playlists.