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G O T V. Get Out The Vote A Workshop on Voting. Who We Are. Volunteers Goals To inform you about your right to vote To motivate you to carry the message forward. Why Vote?. It’s Easy! Millions Do It Every Year Lots of Help Out There To help you prepare At polling place Wallet cards.
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G O T V Get Out The Vote A Workshop on Voting
Who We Are • Volunteers • Goals • To inform you about your right to vote • To motivate you to carry the message forward
Why Vote? • It’s Easy! • Millions Do It Every Year • Lots of Help Out There • To help you prepare • At polling place • Wallet cards
Why Vote? Still – we have a Problem Though millions vote, too many do not
Why Vote? • Elected Officials Make MOST Big Decisions • Examples: • Schools • Voting • Social Security and Medicare • Immigration • Minimum Wage • Safety • Military
Why Vote? Politicians Listen to People Who Vote!
Why Vote? An Elected Office is a Job like any other Job! Voters Make Hiring Decisions!
Why Vote? • The People are Responsible for Seeing that Good Representatives are Elected • Healthy Communities with Opportunity for All Require That All the People Participate • It’s the right thing to do.
Why Vote? Questions And Answers ? ? ? ? ?
Voter Jeopardy! Category: Why Vote? Answer: Elected officials listen to them. Question: Who are People that Vote? Answer: Decisions about schools, immigration, taxes, streets, police, social security, etc. Question: What decisions are made by elected officials? Answer: The people ultimately responsible for decisions made by elected officials. Question: Who are the Voters – and the people who don’t vote? $100 $200 $300
What Government Does:Local (City and School District) Headed by Mayor and City Council (city) or School Board • Public Safety • Police • Fire • Ambulance • Streets • Water, Sewer, Garbage • Parks and Recreation • Zoning • Schools
What Government Does:County Headed by County Judge and Commissioners Court • Parkland Hospital • Sherriff’s Office and Jail • County Roads • Public Clinics • Elections
What Government Does:State Headed by Governor etc, State Legislature (House of Representatives and Senators) and State School Board • Shares Responsibility with Local & Federal • School Finance • School Curriculum • Medicaid • Highways
What Government Does:Federal Headed by President and Congress (House of Representatives and Senators) • Social Security • Medicare • Medicaid (shared with State) • Military Matters • Education (Pell grants, special ed, school lunch & breakfast) • Regulates banks, credit cards, safety, transportation, environment, etc
What Government Does:Judicial • Many judges are elected • Local Districts • Countywide Districts • Statewide • Federal Judges including Supreme Court judges are Not ELECTED but appointed
How Government is Paid For: Taxes and Fees • Government services are paid for through taxes and fees. • You decide: More Services or Less Taxes and Fees?
What Government Does Questions And Answers ? ? ? ? ?
Voter Jeopardy! Answer: It handles fire, streets, water, sewer, etc. Question: What does the City do? Answer: It shares most responsibilities with others. Question: What does the State do? Answer: They run the Federal Government together. Question: What do the President & Congress Do? Category: What Government Does $100 $200 $300
Nuts & Bolts of Voting • Remember – Voting is Easy! • Millions do it every year • Lots of help for new voters: • To help you prepare to vote • Helpful people at the polling place • Wallet cards
Nuts & Bolts of Voting Voter Information Sources Dallas County Elections:Check your registration status, early voting and election day locations and times, sample ballots, useful links. DalCoElections.org 214.637.7937 League of Women Voters Dallas: Candidate information, elected officials information and contacts, voter registration and rights. LWVDallas.org 214.688.4125 Dallas Morning News:Candidate information and endorsements, current political and government news. DallasNews.com See also political party websites (DallasDemocrats.org, DallasGOP.org, DallasGreens.net, LPDallas.org) candidate websites and government websites (DallasCityHall.com, DallasCounty.org, DallasISD.org, etc.) For Your Wallet or Purse
Nuts & Bolts of Voting • Registration • Who can vote • Preparation • Where and when you can vote • What you will be voting on • DalCoElections has basics • Other sources tell about candidates & issues
Nuts & Bolts of Voting For Your Wallet or Purse • Voting Tips • Photo ID: When you vote, take your voter registration card and acceptable photo id, such as CURRENT TDL, or Texas ID. (Student ID not accepted.) • If you move/change name: Update voter registration when you move or change your name. Request registration form from county elections office or Texas Secretary of State (sos.state.tx.us/elections) • Early voting:You can vote early during 2 weeks before election day at any polling place in your county. Vote early to avoid lines at convenient times and places. • Election types: • March: Primary (political parties choose candidate for November General election) • May: Local (nonpartisan candidates for city council, school board) • November: General (candidates from political parties compete for office) • Runoff: If no candidate in an election receives over 50% of the votes. • Other: Special elections like bond issues, constitutional amendments.
Nuts & Bolts of Voting • Early Voting (recommended) • For about two weeks prior to election day • Weekend and evening times available • Vote ANYWHERE in County that’s convenient • Seldom are there lines • Election Day Voting • Must vote in precinct (ie, near where you live)
Nuts & Bolts of Voting Types of elections: • Partisan • Candidates run by Party (Republicans, Democrats, etc) • Primaries versus General election • Examples: President, Congress, County • Non Partisan (no political party affiliation) • Local • City Council, School Board • Referendums • Runoffs
Nuts & Bolts of Voting • Your Ballot May be Lengthy • Look it up in advance so no surprises • Don’t have to vote on every single office if not comfortable • Straight Party Voting • Option for partisan elections
Nuts & Bolts of Voting Questions And Answers ? ? ? ? ?
Voter Jeopardy! Answer: Enables you to vote at a polling place of your choice, two weeks before election day, at convenient times. Question: What is “Early Voting”? Answer: Elections Where Political Parties choose their candidates for the General Election. Question: What is a “Primary Election”? Answer: Website where you can find when and where to vote, and what will be on your ballot. Question: What is “DalCoElections.org”? Category: Nuts & Bolts of Voting $100 $200 $300
New Photo ID Law New Law Passed in 2011 by State Not In Effect Yet BUT You Should Be Prepared!* * Awaiting judgment of Federal Court as to whether or not the law complies with Voting Rights Act.
New Photo ID Law • Acceptable ID’s • Must be current • Cannot have expired more than 60 days ago • Acceptable IDs: • Texas Driver’s License • Texas ID • Passport • Immigration Papers • Military ID • Concealed Handgun License • Student ID NOT Acceptable
New Photo ID Law • Name Match-up • Should be exact • What happens if it isn’t exact? • Exceptions • Disabled • Can’t afford ID • Vote by Mail
New Photo ID Law Questions And Answers ? ? ? ? ?
Voter Jeopardy! Answer: Current Driver’s License, State ID, Passport, Immigration Papers, Military ID, Handgun License. Question: What are the acceptable photo id’s for voters? Answer: Student photo ID. Question: What is not an acceptable photo ID for a voter? Answer: Should match on Voter Registration and Photo ID. Question: What is your name? Category: The New Photo ID Law $100 $200 $300
Can I Ask a Favor? Be a Warrior for Voting Spread the Word!
Become a Voter! Register And Practice