Why Your Vote Matters
by Emilee O’Brien, Director of Policy & Advocacy
The first time I stepped into a voting booth became a formative memory. I remember my mom closing a thick velvet curtain behind us as we entered the booth in my elementary school cafeteria. She explained that each button represented a person that we elect and shared the reasoning that informed her selections. Looking back now, that day was the beginning of my interest in policy and advocacy. I have since practiced what my mom taught me about voting much more often than just once every four years—I’ve voted in primaries, run-offs, special elections and general elections.
If you are reading this, you’ve already demonstrated your commitment to working to solve the big issues in our community. By supporting United Way of Greenville County, you are actively making a difference in the daily lives of local families.
While the programs and direct services that nonprofits provide are critical in moments of need, we will never program our way out of poverty. We need policy change to eliminate the conditions that allow poverty to persist.
United Way of Greenville County is a nonpartisan, issue-focused organization, and we are getting involved to advocate for issues that directly impact our neighbors. While we will never tell you who to vote for, we want to make sure that you are registered to vote and have the resources you need to cast your vote with confidence.
YOUR VOTE = YOUR VOICE
Civic participation is both a personal responsibility and a fundamental right of our democracy. While national news often focuses on what happens in Washington, D.C., the spotlight excludes our city, county, municipal, and state legislative happenings—but local government has the most tangible impact on our day-to-day lives.
Local elections impact policies we interact with daily, like the condition of the roads we drive on, the incentives for small businesses that employ our loved ones, where new housing is needed and developed, and the resources each child needs to reach their full potential in our schools. Local policy impacts individuals and the collective community we all belong to.
Your vote is one way to share the vision you have for our community.
Did you know that half of the twelve Greenville County school board seats are on the ballot this November? Or that every member of our state House and Senate will be decided by the voters?
While the presidential election takes up most of the airtime on national news networks, it’s on all of us to show up for our local community on Election Day.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Check your registration status.
- View your sample ballot.
- Learn more about each local candidate—check out the Simple Civics podcast.
- Visit scvotes.gov or vote411.org for more voting resources.
It’s on us to create the future we wish to see in our community, starting on Election Day. I hope to see you at the polls!
