POLCOMM CHAIR'S CORNER
Why You Must Make Your Vote Count March 3

Voters must exercise their right to vote on Tuesday, March 3rd. True, the high emotions experienced by voters last November during the presidential elections can not be duplicated. There were many reasons to feel good after Election Day 2008. Voters are being called to nurture the voting process once again. Why? Municipal elections will be held next month; not just in the City of Los Angeles, but also in Burbank, Redondo Beach, Azusa, and some 30 or so smaller cities. Wait! There’s also the special elections in late March to fill the CA Senate District 26 which became vacant with the successful election of Mark Ridley Thomas as L.A. County Supervisor. There is another special election to fill Congressmember Hilda Solis’ seat in CD 32 due to her appointment as Secretary of Labor under the Obama Administration. So if you think your job is done, just look at what will happen if you don’t vote. The change you so strongly advocated for on behalf of the environment may not come to fruition. If voting for pro-environmental candidates is a show of political will, then show it loud and clear. Obama may be more than a phenomenon but the true essence of him becoming a phenomenon was YOU - the voter. Look at last November and the months before that - you were engaged and motivated! You took ownership of the process and did everything to make sure that you connected to other enviro groups, community groups, labor, and even social networks to get your message across. You were serious but you had fun.

Please prove the pundits wrong the next few months by overcoming low voter turnout and voter fatigue through get out the vote grassroots activism. There are exciting ‘open seat’ races in the City of L.A. and a bunch of strong environmental candidates endorsed by the Club at the forefront. These endorsements are based primarily on the candidates’ environmental platform as demonstrated by their history of civic involvement, public statements, responses to the Club’s interviews and questionnaires, and their overall environmental philosophy. While the Club has not made endorsements in a good number of races due to lack of time and resources, please spare time to do your own research about the candidates and vote your conscience.

What will the environmental landscape look like after March 3rd? By voting for Sierra Club-endorsed candidates, you gain their support for our priority programs and initiatives. By voting for Measure B. a City of L. A. solar initiative, you ensure that dependency on fossil fuel will be a thing of the past and that renewable energy is a staple for a healthy and sustainable environment.

There is nothing inevitable about the future of the environment. Communities can get worse, stay the same, or get better. It depends largely on what you choose to do. That simple belief, backed by 100 years of effort and result, is what drives the Sierra Club. Come election time, please make your vote for the environment count. /p

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