Why We Vote
One vote in the Tennessee State Legislature tipped the balance, finally granting White women the right to vote. It was the reversal made by a young representative, in response to a plea from his mom, that made Tennessee the 36th state in the union to ratify the 19th amendment.
Black men were granted the right to vote in the late 1960s by passage of 15th amendment, but Jim Crow-era laws created barriers to voting, some states even going as far to create laws that allowed for White-only primary elections.
Indian Citizenship Act did not get enacted until 1924, and even with its passage, significant hurdles were put in place that inhibited their access to vote.
It took the Civil Rights Law of 1965 to finally put the protections in place that allowed Black men and Black women to vote. That same law finally gave protection to Native Americans. 1965. 189 years since this nation’s founding when we proclaimed freedom, equality and justice as our nation’s core values.
It is now 2024, and we must do better, and doing better for our democracy takes long, hard work. It requires our advocacy and our engagement, so that we do our part to fulfill the promise of America.
As the late Congressman John Lewis said, “My dear friends, your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.”
PEP staff appreciate this right and responsibility, and in this short video our PEP colleagues share why they vote. Please join them and make your voice heard. VOTE!
Dates & Locations
You can vote one of three ways – in person on Election Day (November 5, 2024), early voting during available hours at your county’s board of elections, or by absentee ballot. In-person early voting is available 7-days a week at all Ohio Board of Election offices through Sunday, November 3.
- Election Day Voting: You can find your polling location here.
- Early Voting: The early voting schedule can be found here.
- Absentee Voting (Vote by Mail): The first day to request absentee ballots is Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Documents and process for getting an absentee ballot can be found here.
Non-partisan Resources
- Vote411: This is a non-partisan resource that has easy ways to search for what you can expect to find on your ballot.
- Ballotpedia: This site refers to itself as the Encyclopedia of American Politics. On this site, you can also learn about what to expect on your ballot and information about candidates
- Judge4Yourself: This site provides a compilation of ratings and endorsements for statewide and Cuyahoga County judicial candidates.