It’s Voting Time

A number of matters of importance at the national, state and local levels will be decided today at the polls. For this reason Latinos eligible to vote can’t stay away from the ballot box. Too many key issues are at stake.

Even though this election is not as exciting as a presidential campaign, that doesn’t make it any less important for the lives of the Empire State residents.

All statewide elected officials, from the next New York Governor to the Attorney General and State Comptroller, are in play and will be decided today. Those are the officials in charge of ensuring the compliance, regulation and implementation of the law.

Apart from the candidates, also on the ballot are three proposed amendments to the State Constitution, about revising the State’s redistricting procedure, permitting electronic distribution of state legislative bills, and whether public school open their doors to the future thanks to new technologies.

In some cases, those policies are left in the voters’ hands because of the legislature’s inability to confront issues that affect New Yorkers. Other cases respond to a legal requirement to ask voters to approve or reject a specific issue that has been already approved by the legislators.

In all cases there are interests in favor and against the proposal on the ballot, and the voter must decide. If the potential voter decides not to participate, he or she is giving up the right to be heard to someone else.

It’s time to put an end to voter apathy, because our vote counts and it empowers our community. Because abstaining from voting only shows indifference and apathy towards crucial issues in our lives.

New York Latinos have today the opportunity to make a difference. It is expected that a total of 546,000 Hispanics will head to the polls, which would represent 9.4% of the state electorate. It would also mean a 5.8% increase compared to the midterm elections of 2010.

Let’s exceed those expectations. Today we must vote to be players in the present and future of New York.

Your vote, your voice