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No Vote, No Voice

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Vida en el Valle
by Liliana Martinez

Starting this year, Californians were given the opportunity to access health care and make their voice heard in the same place: by enrolling through the Covered California website.

“More than 27,000 Californians registered to vote between March and August, thanks to Covered California being designated a voter registration agency. These are only paper registrations, likely thousands more decided to register online,” said Michelle Romero, director of Claiming Our Democracy at The Greenlining Institute.

This comes after the National Voter Registration Act required many government agencies to make sure people have the opportunity to register to vote at their service locations and through their programs. Due to this effort, experts are expecting a better turn out on Election Day on November 4th as the voting registration process is now easier.

Still, many people are not aware that they have to register in order to vote. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Latinos make up 59% of the Ca-

lifornia eligible but unregistered voters. “Also they are a huge part of the uninsured population. Registering to vote while enrolling for health care is an important opportunity to take care of two things in one simple step,” Romero adds.

Romero highlights that not voting is actually giving your voice to somebody else. “Not only are we not having a voice, but we give the other people who do show up to vote a bigger voice,” she states.

Kim Alexander, President & Founder of California Voter Foundation, confirms that Latinos are totally underrepresented. “There are demographic gaps between the people who vote and the people who called themselves Californians,” she states.

Alexander refers to an important group of constituents: 7 million legal residents in California who are eligible to become citizens and have not yet done it so, which prevents them from voting.

“This is to everybody’s loss. It is of everybody’s interest for all people in our society to feel invited and participate in self governance. Having people engaged is what makes a civic society.”

“Problems will never get solved if people living in environmental and economical harmed communities do not engage in public life,” she concluded.Consejos para tener voz y voto/ Tips to have a voice and a vote

Asegúrate de inscribirte con tu dirección actual./ Make sure you are registered with you current address.

Si votas por correo, envíalo una semana antes de las elecciones. No esperes hasta el último minuto./ If you are voting by mail, send your vote one week before the election. Do not wait until the last minute.

Existen materiales en otros idiomas, pero debes solicitarlos./ There are election materials in other languages, but you have to request them.

Llama al Secretario de Estado a la línea caliente de registro de votantes al 1-888 345 VOTE y solicita tu papeleta en otro idioma./ Call the Secretary of State Voters Registration Hot Line at 1-888 345 vote and ask to have your ballot in another language.

No es necesario votar por todas las propuesta. No es un examen./ You do not have to vote on everything on the ballot. It is not a test.

Asegúrate de firmar el sobre de igual forma que firmaste tu papeleta./ Make sure you sign the envelope the same way you sign to vote.

Números y datos importantes para recordar/Numbers and dates to remember

Aunque el último día de inscripción para votar fue el 20 de octubre, los californianos necesitan prepararse para otra fecha importante: la inscripción para los planes de seguro de salud de 2015 a través de Covered California, del 15 de noviembre de 2014 al 15 de febrero de 2015. Los consejeros certificados de registro ayudan a las personas con la inscripción para seguro médico y ofrecen información sobre inscripción de votación. Por su parte, cabe recordar que la renovación de Medi-Cal es anual y los consejeros certificados o el departamento de servicios sociales pueden ayudar con la inscripción médica y electoral./ Although the last day to register was October 20th, Californians need to get prepared for another important upcoming date: Open enrollment for 2015 health insurance plans through Covered California from November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015. Certified Enrollment Counselors help people enroll into health care and help provide information to register to vote. It is also important to remember that Medi-Cal renewal is annual and that Certified Enrollment Counselors can register for Medi-Cal or for voting, or you can go to social service department for help.

¿A dónde buscar ayuda?/ Where to go for help

Los latinos pueden inscribirse para votar con la ayuda de organizaciones en todo el estado como Voto Latino, bibliotecas públicas y oficinas electorales del condado, así como en el Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados (DMV)./ Latinos can register to vote with the help of organizations around the state like Voto Latino, in public libraries and county election offices, as well as the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Los votantes pueden inscribirse a través de la página web de Covered California www.coveredca.com/resources/voter-registration/ o llamar al 1-800-300-1506 para obtener cobertura médica a través de consejeros certificados./ Applicants can register to vote through Covered California’s website www.coveredca.com/resources/voter-registration/ or call 1-800-300-1506 to enroll in health coverage, or through certified enrollment counselors.

Los residentes californianos pueden ver su formulario en Votersedge.org./ California residents can view their ballot at Votersedge.org.

Puedes encontrar información educativa e innovadora sobre el proceso de votación en calvoter.org./ Find innovative voter education materials for voters at calvoter.org.

The post No Vote, No Voice appeared first on The Greenlining Institute.


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