Spotlight On

Supporting Our Democracy on Election Day

Elections are the very foundation of our democracy — and it's our civic duty to participate in them. Ken Hersh, President and CEO of the Bush Center, and Holly Kuzmich, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, explain in the San Antonio Express-News <[link removed]> how that duty goes beyond casting our own ballots.

America's peaceful transition of power every four or eight years is a hallmark of our democracy and the envy of people striving for freedom from totalitarian regimes around the globe.
For more than two centuries, each of our presidents has passed authority to the next in the manner stipulated by the Constitution. This seamless leadership change is one of the things that makes America so special. We the People of the United States have the right, privilege, and responsibility to help make that possible again by ensuring that all our voices are heard in the fall election. So that whatever the outcome, it truly reflects the will of the people.
It starts at the ballot box. We are fortunate that, in this country, we're given multiple avenues to vote — in person on Election Day, early, or by mail. But it doesn't stop there. We also have a civic duty to participate in making the election orderly and fair. In the COVID-19 world of 2020, that requires more from all of us who are able.
Critically, we are giving the staff at the George W. Bush Presidential Center the full day off on Nov. 3 and encouraging all our employees to find a way to fulfill their civic duty. We believe that a job should never stand in the way of voting or empowering others to do so.
We're not alone. Companies including Coca-Cola, JPMorgan Chase, Best Buy, and the Gap have announced that they're giving workers time off to vote or won't schedule meetings on Election Day. We challenge more employers across the nation to follow our lead and treat Election Day as a holiday.
But we can do more to support our democracy on this important day. In addition to casting their own ballots, our employees will be encouraged to train to be poll workers, volunteer to open mail-in ballots, provide childcare so others can go to the polls, drive elderly people to their precincts, help new Americans decipher the voting process, or find other proactive ways to encourage participation.
As a team that works on democracy issues at the Bush Center, it's important that we practice what we preach. And the two of us will lead by example by volunteering to be election workers in Dallas.
Because most poll workers historically are over 61, and older adults are at higher risk from the coronavirus, election officials across the country are scrambling to recruit new, younger poll workers. There's a "critical need" for workers before and on Election Day, according to the independent, bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
More than 600,000 workers were required at over 200,000 polling places nationwide during the 2018 general election, according to an EAC survey, which also revealed that recruiting was "very difficult" or "somewhat difficult" then. And that was during a midterm election, not a presidential election, and before the pandemic made in-person voting a concern.
Closer to home, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said before the July 14 runoff that some poll workers were driven away by inconsistent use of masks by voters. The Bexar County Election Department is seeking registered voters to serve as presiding election judges, alternate election judges, and election clerks for an hourly wage as well as lining up volunteers for other assignments. Dallas County election officials have a similar need for people to serve.
It's everyone's responsibility ensure that all can vote. At a time when many Americans think their votes don't count, it's critical that we unite to make sure that they do. We challenge every secretary of state and election official across the country to verify that their systems are working right now for early voting, mail-in voting, and in-person voting on Election Day. Act now to confirm that machines are operating, contingency plans are in place, and enough workers are signed up.
And we challenge our fellow citizens to make an active contribution on Nov. 3 and reinforce what an awesome privilege it is to live in a democracy where we are free to select our leaders.
As President George W. Bush said after the 2008 election, "no matter how they cast their ballots," large numbers of citizens voting across the country "showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union."
Let's do it again.

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