November elections are coming up with Election Day next Tuesday, November 8, and so many issues that matter to our UU values will be on the ballot!
We believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every person, including the rights of pregnant people to make decisions about their own bodies. We believe in respecting the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, especially by recognizing and combating climate change. We believe in creating an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural community, and in children and teachers in our schools being able to have honest conversations about our country’s racist history and about variation in people’s family structures, gender identity, and sexuality. And we believe in listening to the voices of everyone, which requires structures for voting that represent people’s voices with equity, rather than gerrymandering.
Don’t forget to vote, take the time to educate yourself about the very long ballot (mine was 2 pages front and back!), and check out these opportunities below to help others do the same.
Amanda Hays,
Justice Coordinator
Early Voting is Underway
Early voting, both in person and absentee, is underway in Ohio. Find resources on early voting hours, absentee voting, and more at VoteOhio.gov. We recommend voting early, as it gives you peace of mind, gives you time to deal with any problems that may arise, and makes the job of Get Out the Vote organizations easier by taking your name off their lists.
Senior Voter Outreach
The Democracy Working Group is reaching out to older voters in the First UU community to see if they need any support in voting this year (help with absentee ballots, rides to the polls, etc.). Let us know that you’d like to help us make phone calls by emailing us at contact-
Vote No on Issue 1
Issue 1 on your ballot this fall would enshrine cash bail in Ohio’s constitution in the name of public safety. Criminal justice reform advocates are urging everyone to vote no on Issue 1 this fall. Cash bail is not an appropriate tool for protecting public safety, and Issue 1 would undermine ongoing efforts at bail reform.
Learn more about Issue 1:
- ACLU Talking Points
- Information from OFUPAC
- Video from the Ohio Public Defender’s office explaining some of the legal background
Help us distribute information on Issue 1 to early voters at the Board of Elections. Sign up for one or more shifts. Flyers can be picked up from First UU in Amanda Hays’s mailbox in the Volunteer Workroom.