Critically Important Reasons for You to Vote in November 7, 2006 U.S. Election

Beyond a doubt, for the majority of Americans the November 7, 2006 Elections are essential. The issues involved are part of their daily lives and welfare. That means they cannot be ignored. While some will definitely vote, some citizens will prefer not to, while others may be prevented from doing so or be persuaded to just ignore Congressional Elections because they make no difference. But there are very important reasons why your vote is necessary. Some of the reasons are very popular and well known by most Americans. Others may have been forgotten or over-looked. Hence, some very essential reasons are presented to remind you of your importance to America.

Election is the formal process by which voters make their political choices on public issues or candidates for public office. Regular elections (like the mid-term election) serve to hold leaders accountable for their performance and permit an exchange of influence between the governors and the governed. The availability of alternatives is a necessary condition. Hence, the right of citizens of the United States to vote is a fundamental right. Therefore, discriminatory and unfair registration laws and procedures can have a direct and damaging effect on voter participation in elections for Federal office. This is an essential point form Congress and the "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" revealed by the US Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov for public knowledge and education. That Act serves to assist and protect the rights of all voters and to ensure integrity of the electoral process. It therefore states important reasons to vote without fear and intimidation stressing your rights and the country's benefits from your voter actions.

All across America, academic professionals in Public Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Psychology, History, Military Affairs and other disciplines, have been monitoring the elections procedures and candidates campaigns for months now. Some of the prominent poll results reveal excellent reasons for voting and the primary issues to consider. We are informed by PollingReport.com at www.pollingreport.com/prioriti.htm that the main issues are: corruption in government, the situation in Iraq, terrorism, health care, the economy, moral standards in the country, gas prices and immigration. This information from PollingReport.com was submitted from USA Today/Gallop Poll, October 6-8, 2006 from the polled question: "How important will each of the following issues be to your vote for Congress this year? When considering to vote, of the main issues stated above, the Report stated that corruption in government (48% extremely important) the situation in Iraq (48% extremely important) terrorism (48% extremely important) health care (43% extremely important) the economy (40% extremely important) and moral standards (36% extremely important) were the responses from those who participated in the poll. From the same Report, the answers chosen by the participants for very important are also in the 40's and 30's % range. This is a scientific indication of the very essential issues to consider when voting. Across America voters will need to think carefully on these and other points as they prepare to vote and do vote. Analysis of the issues and how they affect each individual life then become essential before choosing which party candidate to vote for.

In addition, when deciding to vote it is critically important that issues like the minimum wage increase and financing of research on embryonic stem cells be considered. These are essential issues in Missouri electoral debate for voters to consider and reconsider. Labor Unions in Missouri (as reported) have been playing their role by collecting signatures for the initiative to have the minimum wage increased. Other States like Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Ohio are planning similar initiatives as reported by the WashingtonPost.com at www.washingtonpost.com in Bellwethers Key Issues in the Battle for Congress: Will Ballot Issues Drive Voters to the Polls?

The issue of stem cells research approval or disapproval will be important for both conservatives and antiabortion groups across America. Hence, here we have another very essential issue to consider before voting and why to vote is important. Other excellent issues to consider include tax-limitation measures in Florida, Maine and Rhodes Island; smoking bans Philadelphia-Pennsylvania and other States, and smoking ban or higher tobacco taxes specifically in California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan and New Hampshire. So to vote or not to vote will go beyond general issues to personal specific points of concerns that have affected personal comfort, self-interest or ideologies. Each group and individual will need to think of the city and state in which they live and how political decisions and performances have affected their lives. So to vote is very essential because passive non-participatory approach will not really solve the issues and problems.

What about the poor and low income groups specifically and why should they vote? Here we are informed that Voterization 2006 is an effort to engage traditional underrepresented people in the civic process. This process seek to encourage greater numbers of low income and homeless people to vote in November 7, 2006 Elections as stated at www.nlihc.org/VOTE Voterization Project, National Low Income Housing Project. The emphasis is on assisting low income citizens understand the decision making process by federal officials and how the results of those decisions will affect their lives as they decide to vote and actually vote. This is critically important since census data confirms that low income voters are registered and vote at lower rates than higher-income citizens. While 82% of people with yearly incomes of over $75,000 were registered to vote in 2000, for example, 75% of those registered actually voted, while just 59% of people with yearly incomes between $10,000 and $14,000 were registered, and only 44% of those registered actually voted - www.nlihc.org/VOTE. This really means that low income people face many challenges to voting, need assistance, very important reasons and education on the importance of voting.

Low income groups of people are often confronted with less-flexible jobs that may not allow time off for voting, transportation impediments that make getting to the polls more difficult, and greater likelihood of misinformation about their rights as voters. These may make people shy away from voting. People experiencing homelessness, ex-felons and survivors of the recent hurricanes may face especially tough barriers to voting. Hence, the efforts of The Voterization Projects to help and give those affected good reasons and assistance to vote. In addition, it is reported that Voterization Projects have identified several benefits of their Programs: to engage residents in civic participation, develop residents leadership skills, educate elected officials on low income housing issues and on how their decisions affect residents, how to build power with elected officials, assistance for residents in meeting community service requirements and how to earn positive press coverage for programs and projects. These are essential for low income citizens who often need social, psychological and financial assistance and encouragement as they make up their minds to vote in the November 7, 2006 Elections.

In the State of Pennsylvania in particular, the issue of Education is very important for voters as they prepare to vote. This may also apply to other States in different or varied proportions. Education is a big issue in the State of Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania 2006 - The Issues: Education Very Important to Voters at www.issuespa.net/articles/16261 we see the statistics of the polled respondents on this issue. We are informed that 80% said making sure high school graduates have the skills they need for college or a career will be very important in determining their vote for offices like for the Governor and State Legislators in 2006. The statistics also revealed that keeping education taxes reasonable and fair is essential to 77% of the respondents.

Pennsylvanians interviewed said they wanted the State government to be the main source of funding for public schools but prefer local school officials to be held responsible for providing quality education. So in deciding to vote this year, not only the funding of education is important but the quality of education. Interestingly, most interviewed said weren't willing to sacrifice a share of state education funding for their district so money can be directed to the state's poorest districts. How will the state's poorest districts residents respond to this point when they decide to vote will be interesting. This point, no doubt, is important to some people when voting.

Overall, across American the crucial issue of jobs will be on the minds of all individuals and families. Jobs creation and availability are essential to most people welfare and means of survival. No jobs usually mean no money and no means of providing for the basic necessities of like. The unemployed and marginally employed man and woman who earns the minimum wage or lower will be looking at how the city, state and federal governments have taken real positive and long initiatives to solve and improve this problem. Normally, we are not capable to take care of our personal welfare and that of relatives and families without jobs. If someone is out of work but capable of working (base on education and skills) but cannot find and receive a job, then the issue will never be overlooked when the voting day comes. Hence, the overall welfare of all depend on the availability of jobs and even how someone goes about finding the money to feed the family. The unavailability of jobs can negatively affect crime by increasing this anti-social behavior, and even corruption at all levels of government. How someone without a job decides to vote is therefore important.

The above, therefore, are some of the main critically important reasons why registered American voters need to vote in the November 7, 2006 Elections. While the professionals, by means of their polls, have informed us in general of the essential issues to consider, personal interest, ideologies and beliefs will be more dominant. The experiences of each voter with the city, state and federal governments since the last elections will be essential to them. By far jobs, education and personal welfare issues will matter most to most people in a personal way, while the scientifically polled issues will not be over-looked by the voters.