In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in an election year. I know, it’s tough to miss given the re-runs of Apprentice airing on Fox News and CNN. Still, this November 8, we’ll be going to the polls to elect our 45th president.
Before that, however, each political party will nominate a candidate to be their representative on that presidential ballot, and primaries or caucuses will be held to help make that determination.
In my state of Florida, we hold a closed primary, meaning only voters who are registered as members of a political party prior to the primary date may participate in the nomination process for its candidates. In Florida,the deadline to register is February 16, which is only 31 days away.
So if you haven’t already, of if you are – like I used to be – registered as an Independent, and you want to take part in the primary election, be sure to complete the registration form and return it to your County Supervisor of Elections (the address can be found on the second page):
[ Florida Voter Registration form (PDF) ]
Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation remember Captain Picard’s quip at the end of nearly every showing as he instructed his crew to proceed to their next destination. “Engage,” he’d say. That is exactly what we need to do as the beneficiaries of our democracy. Engage. We must educate ourselves, discuss the topics at the center of the campaigns, listen, learn, and, most importantly, engage.
Gil Gonzalez 