Page 40 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2019

make a difference
YOour VOTE,
ne of the greatest ways we can affect change is by exercising our right to vote. Voting is a privilege, meaning you are not required by law to vote but, rather,
we have the right to vote because of the sacrifices so many men and women have made by serving our country in one of the branches of the armed forces.
ON THE
Your
BALLOT
VOICE
story by Jeff Clark
Voting is done on the local, state and federal levels. There are only two requirements to vote
– you must be at least 18 years old and you must register to vote in the area in which you live. Voter registration can be done online or in the office of the county circuit clerk. It takes less than five minutes to register to vote. In the 2016 presidential election, about 138 million people voted, which is less than 60 percent of those are registered to vote.
“I truly believe that your vote is your voice,” Harrison County Circuit Clerk Connie Ladner said. “To me, that says everything. Voting gives the citizens a voice in the local, county, state and federal levels of government. Take time to research your candidates to see if they share the same values and thoughts. Make an informed decision and vote because every vote matters.”
According to Ladner, voter apathy is one of the biggest problems we face in this country. “When we have a vote on an issue like the flag, people turn out,” she said. “But they sometimes don’t think their vote counts when there is a candidate involved. The candidates need to get people excited about voting.”
Voting can be done in a few different ways – in person at the polls or through an absentee ballot. On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m. So, to vote in your area, make certain
you are at the proper voting precinct, bring your voter ID card and a photo ID. Mississippi residents can vote by absentee ballot for several reasons including being out of town on the day of the election, being 65 years old or older and having a disability. Absentee voting can be done in person or through the mail up to 45 days before the election.
There are also several types of elections. In most local and state elections, the process starts with
a primary election. This is how the candidates
for the general election are determined if there are more than one from a political party. For example, a primary election can determine which Republican and Democrat will meet up in a general election. A runoff is an election in which no one received a majority of the votes. And a general election is usually when a winner for the position is determined, unless there is a need for runoff due to the fact that there are more than two candidates in the general election.
Register to vote online at www.usa.gov/register-to-vote.
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