Why Voting is Important to the STIK Team

The election is just around the corner, and we thought it was important to share the ways our team is getting out there to vote. Whether it's in person, or by mail, we all wanted to make sure our votes are counted and our voices are heard. Learn more below about how and why our team is voting!

Sarah: I was abroad for my first presidential election as an eligible voter in 2016 and voted with an absentee ballot so this year, I am extra excited to vote in person. I feel extremely lucky to live in a democracy and to have the opportunity to contribute to the future of the people in our country. My plan is to vote early this year mostly to avoid any crowds or lines on November 3rd. I’m still registered to vote in the town where my parents live so I will be heading to the Cape this week to vote before work tomorrow morning. 

Claudia: I think voting is incredibly important because I want to exercise my right and have my voice be heard. I think it’s important for everyone’s opinion to be heard both locally and nationally and actually make a difference. This year, I chose to vote by mail, which was incredibly easy! Like Sarah, I wanted to avoid the lines and get my ballot off early. And also like, Tessa, this is my first time as a registered MA voter so I made sure to study up on my local candidates, too! The deadline to vote by mail has ended in most states, but there are plenty of other ways to vote early! Learn more about how you can vote here.

Kismet: As a woman of color that lives in an area in which I am lucky enough to not experience voter suppression, I do not take the power of my vote for granted. I vote for those who need their voices heard but don’t always have the space or resources to make that happen. In New Jersey, due to the pandemic, we are required to vote via mail-in ballot. My parents and I researched all the candidates (NEVER forget the importance of local politics as well), filled out our ballots, and drove them to a drop-off box nearby. We decided to drop them off instead of mail them because we wanted to see whether or not our ballots were accepted as soon as possible in case we needed to make plans to fill out the provisional balloton Election Day. Go to www.vote.org to find your voting locations (For both early & November 3rd voting!) and other important resources. 

Tessa: This is my first election as a registered voter in Massachusetts, which I'm very excited about! (coupled with my newly updated driver's license from this spring, I'm finally feeling like an *official* Mass resident). Now more than ever, states are making it easier to register and cast your ballot so I am hopeful that those who have the opportunity to vote do so. I'm voting by mail because it's quick and I don't have to leave the comfort of my own home (disregard the 1 minute walk to the mailbox). I know we've all heard this MANY times before but...every.vote.matters. T-7 days to make it count! 

Christina: I have temporarily moved to New Hampshire but not for long enough to remove my Mass registration, so I’m relieved that this year mail-in-voting is so easy. That said, I have filled out my ballot and still plan on dropping it off in a ballot box in Boston tomorrow! I 100% trust USPS to count my vote, but thought it would be fun to walk it over with Campbell. As a new mother of a baby girl, I want to be sure that I do everything I can to protect her rights and the climate on her continent. Be sure to get out there and VOTE! Every vote matters!! 

Tory: This year, I voted in my 4th presidential election, which is pretty amazing to say. In my family, voting was never something that you did if you had time, it was always a priority. My Dad is a Marine, and while he’s no longer active, he instilled in me at a young age that I should never take my right to vote for granted. Needless to say, this year my dad’s message to me has felt even more important. Because we’ve temporarily relocated to Maine, we opted for absentee ballots this year. We dropped them in a ballot box last week, and got confirmation from Massachusetts that they were received. I feel really lucky to be able to cast my vote and have my voice heard. This will likely be a stressful week for everyone, but it’s nice to know that I’ve participated in what will inevitably be a defining moment in our country’s history.