Democratic Weekly Radio Address: Rep. Bolduc says Your vote matters, make it count

No matter what political party you belong to or where you stand on the issues, get out and vote.

Weekly Radio Address: Rep. Brian Bolduc

Good morning, I’m State Rep. Brian Bolduc from Auburn.

Election season is steaming ahead and by now the political signs are on every street corner. The political ads are on the radio, TV and even in the mail.

With all the politicking sometimes it’s easy to forget how lucky we are to live in a Democracy, where voting is our right.

Nationwide, the right to vote is facing a greater challenge now than it has in decades.

Since the last presidential election, more than 30 states have introduced new barriers to the ballot box that could make it significantly harder to vote for a staggering five million eligible voters this November.

Here in Maine, we’ve managed to weather the storm so far — thanks in large part to last year’s amazing campaign that restored same-day voter registration that Republican lawmakers attempted to take away last year — but it’s clear that our work is not done and threats to our democracy remain.

As a citizen, the most important step you can take toward protecting our democracy is participating in it – and that means voting.

Voting in Maine is simple and easy to do. You can even do it early and avoid lines. Any voter can request their ballot early—you don’t need to give a reason.

It’s true—it takes just a minute to request your ballot on the web site of the Secretary of State. Once your request is in, your town clerk will mail your ballot to you at the address you specify.  Fill it out, put your ballot back into the mail before Election Day, and you’ve voted.

Don’t let anything get in the way of making your voice heard on Election Day – not a long line or a long work day.

It’s easy to take our voting rights for granted. Even worse, it seems like the more and more political ads we see, the more and more frustrated politics can seem.

But many people sacrificed and worked tirelessly so that women, minorities and adults 18 and older could cast ballots.

Soldiers and civil rights workers fought hard for voting rights.

American soldiers are still fighting and dying in wars to give people the freedom and Democracy we have here.

So, no matter what political party you belong to or where you stand on the issues, get out and vote. Vote early if you’ve already made up your mind. And, encourage your family and friends to vote. You can even vote in honor of a veteran.

Your vote matters. Make it count.

Thank you for listening. I’m State Rep. Brian Bolduc.