Are You a Bad Citizen like Me?

The AAUW Action Fund’s It’s My Vote: I Will Be Heard voter education and turnout campaign represents an unprecedented investment in making women’s voices heard in the 2012 election. Follow us on Twitter and on Tumblr for the latest updates, and check out our biweekly Campaign Update for news, resources, and ideas.

After moving a few years ago, I changed my address with the DMV and submitted an update to my voter registration at the same time. A few weeks later, I received a notice in the mail that there was a problem with my voter registration and that I needed to go to the DMV in person to fix it. It was something that I planned to do but never did. Like most people, I avoid going to the DMV if possible!

For the past few years, I have kept quiet about my dirty little secret: I didn’t think I was registered to vote. As an AAUW employee, I was constantly reminded of this secret. I worked on the AAUW Action Fund website, including the section on voter education, and I am constantly updating the website for the It’s My Vote: I Will Be Heard campaign. I even worked with staff to create the Our Vote Tumblr, which focuses on getting young women to the polls. Despite all of this, I still haven’t made it to the DMV to fix my voter registration.

So why am I confessing my secret now? My colleague sent me a tool that helps people find out if they are registered to vote and identifies the steps necessary to register if they are not. When she suggested we add it to our website, she did not know my secret. I used the tool to check my registration, and it turns out that I am still registered but at my previous address. Now that I know for sure that I am registered to vote, I know my voice will be heard in the 2012 election.

Are you registered to vote? Check now!