One thing I know is that, in competitive races, the old adage that ‘every vote counts’ is very real. Remember, just recently in the statewide Republican Primary, Kris Kobach won by less than 400 votes. The outcome will be determined entirely by who shows up to vote and who does not.
So what does that mean for all of us who understand how important this election is? What is it that we all need to do? Here's a list to get you started:
- VOTE EARLY. Make sure the folks around you vote early if possible, either in person or by mail. You can find a location to vote early in your county here: iwillvote.com
- OUR CANDIDATES NEED RESOURCES. Pick at least one to give a financial contribution, every dollar helps.
- GET OTHERS OUT TO VOTE. Pay special attention to Democrats who don’t always vote in the midterms. Remind them of when and where to vote (early, if possible). Offer a ride.
- DOOR-TO-DOOR WORKS. Political parties use modern technology and work to understand different communities and voters. Your local party can give you a focused list of doors in your neighborhood to knock on. You’d be surprised how appreciative people are to have face-to-face contact with like-minded voters.
- SAME IS TRUE OF CALLING. Done right, calling people to get them out to vote can make the difference.
- QUALITY LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES. Share information about the legislative candidates in your district. Pass on mailers, share via social media and email.
- LOCAL ELECTIONS AND BALLOT ISSUES. The same is true for educating yourself and neighbors about local initiatives. Find quality information in your community and take time to share this with other voters.
- VOLUNTEER ON ELECTION DAY. Give your time to candidates or your local party. We must finish strong.
In the end, who is elected to lead us and shape our future is up to the voters. We need to make sure we’ve done everything possible to not only help educate voters, but get them out to vote. Please understand that, given the quality of the Democratic candidates, what you do for one does help others on the ticket by increasing possibilities for the entire ticket. Given what is at stake, there should be no hesitancy on our part to make sure we do everything possible each day we have. Let’s make the evening of November 6th one that puts a smile on our face as we look to a better future for the state of Kansas.