Written by: Megan Thao, Washington Bus Fellow July 21st, 2020
Whether you are coming into the age of voting or you haven’t exercised your right to vote before, here’s why you should vote in the Primaries this year!
What are the Primaries?
The Primary Election is the race that leads to the General Election. Your vote in the Primaries dictates who is going to be on the ballot for the General Election. Your ballot will also include nominations for your state legislatures, state Governor and plenty of other local officials awaiting your vote. Ballots went out July 17th and stay open until August 4th!
Who cares?
YOU SHOULD! Primaries allow you to choose who you want to vote for in the General Election, allowing you to take part in the statewide change that will happen after the election of the next President. The Primaries also affect you locally. The local officials you vote for will be the ones controlling your state’s budget, advocating for your state’s schools, and even affecting your state’s parks and recreation. Voting in the Primaries allows you to build the community you want to live in.
I’m ready to vote, what do I need to do?
- Make sure you are registered to vote!
- Check your voter registration status here: votewa.gov
- Not registered yet? Register here: registerwa.com/bus
- Do your research! Take accountability and learn about the candidates, statewide and locally. You can also reflect on the issues you care about and see how different candidates align with what you value.
- Put the pressure on your friends and community to vote. Every vote counts and what matters to you should be heard!