Sisters and Brothers,
It was 100 years ago when white women first got the right to vote. They fought for this over many years. They rallied, marched, got arrested, and struggled just to earn the basic right to vote. And then, even after being joined by their Black sisters, it still took another 55 years for Black women to succeed in gaining those same rights.
In this upcoming election, there is no more struggle. All of us have the absolute power to vote and to determine what politician or elected official is deserving of our vote. Today, the right to vote is the great equalizer. No matter who you are, no matter how much money you have, no matter where you live, each and every one of us only gets one vote, and we have a civic responsibility to take advantage of that right, even if it’s harder right now given the circumstances.
In New York, we do have several new avenues available to us as voters to be able to overcome the obstacles the pandemic is creating. We can vote right now by getting an absentee ballot and dropping it off at your local county Board of Elections. You can also start early voting in person at limited locations throughout the state beginning on October 24. You can vote by absentee ballot and drop it in the mail today. Beginning October 24, you can also show up with your absentee ballot at the Board of Elections or early voting polling location and use a drop box to submit your ballot with no waiting in line. Of course, you can always vote in person on Election Day, November 3. For more information on any of these methods, visit the State Board of Elections website at elections.ny.gov.
No matter how you vote, I hope you make a plan to get out and vote. It’s how we make our voices heard in our great country.
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan, President
