Every Voice, Every Vote, Counts

It’s true, nearly HALF of our eligible voters didn’t exercise their right in 2016. We’d like to see 2020’s chart have zero grey to it, but we won’t get there if active voters don’t speak up to inactive voters. So share this article with your friends and family, help them out and make sure they’re registered and show up at the polls, but speaking of the polls and actually voting, COVID-19 brings unique complications to the process this year. We want to help EVERYONE get out and get their voice heard, so we've put together a short guide to voting in the upcoming election, because every vote, truly does matter.

Need to Register?

First things first, be sure that you are registered to vote in your correct county and at the current address you live at. You can check your registration at vote.gov. Many states also require up to date state identification too, so be sure to know what you need to bring when you vote in person.

How Can I Vote?

Given the need for social distancing in pandemic America, you may be wondering how the polls are going to work. Current indications suggest that polling locations are going to be reduced and that all rules of social distancing will be followed. This includes the use of masks, distanced polling stations, and regular sanitation through the process. If you think this sounds like an excellent way to reduce an already congested procedure's efficiency and increase the likelihood that some people won't get the chance to vote, there's a good probability you're right. So how's a politically conscious person to get out and get their voice heard?

Early Voting

As part of some region's efforts to make voting accessible, early voting options have been made available. The specific dates and rules governing early voting will differ from state to state, though most states offer this service. In addition, regardless of state, there is no excuse needed to get your voting done early. If the service is offered, anyone who wants to can take advantage of the opportunity to vote their conscience early. 

Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots are another option available to voters who may not be able to make it to the polls. These ballots provide the opportunity to get your voice heard when you won't be able to make it to a polling station. Absentee ballots have to be requested in advance, with the process varying from state to state. In your state, it may be necessary to submit a valid reason for your need to submit your vote without going to a polling station. Other states require you to request the ballot insufficient time to submit it by election day.

No Matter What, Go Vote

Regardless of how you choose your vote this year, it's critical that you get your voice heard. America has spent the last four years sharply divided on the direction its future will take politically, socially, and civilly. Regardless of your position on current events, we encourage you to get out to the polls and vote your conscience. 

Dime Bags encourages you to research the issues that are important to you, for instance, as a company we’re trying to learn more and be more eco-conscience when it comes to our day to day lives. Our CEO just shared a podcast about plastic for the company to listen to and learn from. Our founder also encourages all of the employees to learn about which candidate is best for them via ISideWith, where you tell them about what issues matter most to you. It’s a great way to ensure that your candidate is the one that will best represent your needs and interests as well as those of people you care about.

And don’t think we’ve forgotten about mail-in-ballots. We think that this option is SO important this year, we have an ENTIRE blog about it in the upcoming weeks we’ll be sharing with you. In the meantime, we ask of you to learn more about the important topics that you care about most and find out how you can vote for them in the 2020 election. Whether it be as big as BLM and defunding the police, or as small as voting in town council with an eco-friendly mindset similar to your own, informed voting in 2020 could literally change the world. And as always, you can promote the importance of voting on your Dime Bag with our recently released VOTE patch.