YOU DECIDE!
The Minnesota Deaf Community shares its perspective on the role YOU play in the electoral process.
View High Resolution version
View version with English subtitles
Register to Vote
Now that you have seen how it is done and why it is important, go to the Secretary of State's website and download a voter registration form.
Credits
This video was produced by the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans and the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State. It was created by Digiterp Communications in partnership with T.S. Writing Services with support provided by the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens and the Democracy Fund.
Video footage of polling places provided by the Office of the Secretary of State. Special thanks to the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives for allowing filming on location at the State Capitol.
Thank you to all who were involved in the creation of this video and for inspiring any citizen to be involved in the electoral process.
On Screen Talent:
(In order of appearance)
- Trudy Suggs
- John Gournaris
- Elee Vang
- Nadine Grippa
- Doug Bahl
- Nancy Kraus
- John Lee Clark
- Elise Knopf
- Roger Brown
- Kim Wassenaar
- Marcus Taylor
- Sherri Rademacher
- Lee Clark
- Mark Ritchie
|
Translation:
Trudy Suggs:
I’m here in a very significant room at the Capitol in St. Paul. This is where legislators come together to discuss many important issues and pass laws that affect you. Such issues include funding for education, taxes, laws related to civil rights, hearing testing for newborn babies, and much more. In this room is where those key decisions are made, as well as at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
However, who makes the decision of who should serve in the legislature? Who decides that?
A Variety of Members of the Deaf Community:
You decide!
Elise Knopf:
Here in Minnesota, there are about 500,000 people who are eligible to vote who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind, but almost half of them don’t vote. What happens when they give up their right to decide?
Roger Brown:
It’s important to know that Congress and the president listen to those who vote. So, voting is the key to getting their attention. So people need to continue voting, please.
Trudy Suggs:
Voting is indeed really important. If you’d like to share your opinions, experiences and insights with legislators, they’re more likely to listen to you if you have registered to vote. But how do you do that? If you’re not sure of the process for registering and voting, here is some information.
If you’d like to go ahead and register to vote, you’ll get a voter registration card, which looks like this. You’ll fill out answers to questions such as your name, address and birthdate and that you are a U.S. citizen who is 18 on or before election day. If you have any questions about this form, you can contact either the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans (MCDHH) or the Minnesota Secretary of State. These agencies are responsible for assisting people with registering and voting, and will answer any of your questions.
Once you fill out your registration card and send it in, you will receive a postcard in the mail telling you where to go and vote.
It’s easy to register and it’s also easy to actually get out and vote. Even if you lose the postcard that comes in the mail and don’t know where to vote, just go to the Secretary of State’s website and use their pollfinder service. You simply type in your address in the pollfinder area, and it gives you your voting location. It’s a simple process.
Once you are registered and know where to go, you may need assistance in driving to the polling place. If you aren’t able to make it because you can’t drive, for instance, contact MCDHH and they can assist in finding someone to bring you to your voting place.
Voting takes place in a variety of community locations. It might be in a church, school, or local government building. Once you arrive, you’ll see a table of people who will ask for your name and address. You’ll also sign a roster of registered voters. After that, you’ll receive a ballot with the names of the candidates. Take this ballot to a booth where you can privately make your choices. After that, slide your ballot through the accounting machine.
Registering to vote and going to vote is a simple process. Voting is significant, and Kim will share more about that significance.
Kim Wassenaar:
We need to vote for people who agree on issues in the Deaf community and agree about how we can get the best services for our community.
Trudy Suggs:
What Kim just said is true. There are a lot of issues that might be important to you, like dealing with the economy, employment opportunities, and conflicts around the world. These issues are not just important only for you, but also for other Minnesotans who are Deaf, DeafBlind or Hard of Hearing. And the way to get legislators to listen to what you have to say is to:
A Variety of Members of the Deaf Community:
VOTE!
Lee Clark:
Whether you are Deaf, DeafBlind or Hard of Hearing, get out and vote.
Trudy Suggs:
Election Day is November 4, 2008. Make sure you go out and vote, and make sure your vote is counted..
Mark Ritchie:
On November 4, 2008, you decide. |
