Election Judge Voting YES on 2E

By Rosie Fivian, published in the Boulder Weekly:

I support moving city council elections to even years. Voter participation is a passion of mine. In my first election when I was 18 years old, I registered and voted against Ronald Reagan. I was passionate and informed about voting and even chose to vote differently than my parents did. I felt like my vote really mattered. I hope Boulder voters can recall their own first time voting, how it shaped them and how this measure promises to capture the voices of more voters.

Since that first experience, I have become engaged in local politics, and have spent a lot of time volunteering at voter registration events, and even served as an election judge in Boulder County.

These experiences over my lifetime have led me to believe that we cannot discount the voice of one person or group over another. Every vote matters and every voice should be heard. For example, a renter’s vote is equal to a homeowner’s vote. A vote from someone who moved here yesterday is equal to a vote from someone born here. A young person’s vote is equal to a senior citizen’s vote.

From the perspective of someone who has worked as an election judge in even years, it is more difficult to vote here in odd years. There are fewer open polling centers and hours of operation in odd years. Many of the first time voters met while issuing ballots at the CU UMC polling center spoke about wanting to experience the joys of voting in person. Much of the work centered around updating addresses and registering people to vote for the first time.

People move from time to time, so not every voter will receive a mail ballot. The polling centers are critical to making voting accessible to more people so having the increased hours in even years is especially important for voter participation. The voter turnout data makes it clear that more people vote in even years. Let’s hear the voices of our whole community. Join me in voting “yes” on ballot measure 2E!