Some things are just more important than travel. And Election Day is one of them.
Millions of voters across the U.S. will go to the polls today, while millions more have already cast their ballots by mail or early voting. If you haven't yet done so, we have a humble request:
Please vote today.
Voting is our sacred right and a civic duty. Countless men and women, from Susan B. Anthony to our Armed Forces to the late Rep. John Lewis, have literally put their lives on the line to protect and expand those rights. It may be tempting to tune out politics – especially this year – but that doesn't mean you should give up your right to vote. We can't afford to do that.
If you're one of the millions of Americans voting by mail this year but haven't put your ballot back in the mail, ensure your ballot gets counted by dropping it off at a dropbox or your local election center – your Secretary of State's office should have information on that.
Not sure where to vote in person? Check with your local Secretary of State or look up your address on vote.org, a great nonpartisan voting resource, to find your polling center.
If you haven't yet registered to vote, keep in mind that 20 states (including our home state of Minnesota) plus Washington, D.C., currently allow some form of same-day voter registration. Check with the National Conference of State Legislatures to see if your state is on the list. Then check with your state to see the requirements to register.
Waiting in line to vote today? If your polling place closes (at 8 p.m. local time) before you're able to cast a ballot, stay where you are. So long as you're in line to vote before polls close, you can still cast a ballot. That's the law in each and every state.
As a team, several of us are volunteering at polling places today. We know who we're voting for – in many cases, we've already done so.
But our personal decisions don't matter nearly as much as your decision to vote, period. In the end, we don't care about who you vote for – we care much more just that you vote.
Vote for the candidate who you believe is best suited to get us through these troubling times and get our daily lives and travel dreams back on track. Vote for the candidate whose policies you believe will improve not just your life, but the lives of the people in your community.
And don't just vote for the top of the ticket and turn your ballot in. There are state lawmakers and governors and city council spots, judgeships and school board members up for election, too. These politicians are charged with making decisions that will likely have a greater impact on your life and your community than the next president. If you haven't yet, research these candidates and pick the one whose vision best matches your own.
But most of all, just vote.
“Decisions are made by those who show up.”
It's time to show up.