Voting is your obligation

Voting is an obligation, not just a right. On November 4, Rhode Islanders will elect a number of community leaders to positions that will affect all of us in our state and nation. In the past few issues, The Jewish Voice, and the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island have published a series of articles to help you stay informed about the candidates and the issues to be considered when we go to vote.

In this, the final part of the series, we are publishing the remarks made by candidates for statewide offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, general treasurer, attorney general and secretary of state. We also are publishing remarks for the candidates for the office of mayor of Providence.

We asked each candidate a very simple question, but a very important one: As a leader, how will you use your leadership skills to improve our state and country? Our intent is to provide you with personal information from the candidate to help you make a decision on who you personally feel is the better candidate.

This year there are a total of seven statewide issues on the ballot. A previous edition of the Jewish Voice provided unbiased information about each state issue. We did not include any local issues that may be on the ballot in your town.

For more information about the issues, as well as where to find your polling place, please visit the Secretary of State’s website, sosri.gov. Simply go to “Election and Voting” and then select 2014 Election Information. There is a handbook that can be downloaded that provides detailed information about the issues. And, you can learn about who is running for office in your community.

Of course, “there is an app” that is available called RI VIC APP. The app is free to download online for Apple devices and for android devices. RI VIC is incredibly user-friendly and is perfect for anyone looking to learn their voter status, find out where to vote, research district information, and even get GPS directions from your current location to your polling place, and more.

As in the primary election, poll workers will ask you to show a photo ID when you vote at your polling place. Voter ID strengthens the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections by enabling poll workers to match a voter’s name to their face. Please make sure your photo ID is valid and has not expired and includes your current address. Acceptable photo IDs include: a Rhode Island driver’s license, a U.S. Passport and a State of R.I. or a U.S.-government-issued ID card as well as an ID card from an educational institution, U.S. military ID card, a government-issued medical card and a voter ID.

As a 501(c)(3), we do not endorse any candidate. We also felt we should not endorse any statewide issue.

We do hope you take the time to do the following: Learn who the candidates are in regard to the issues facing us and to exercise your right to vote.

MARTY COOPER is the Community Relations director for the Jewish Alliance.