NRL News
Page 12
Summer 2012
Volume 39
Issue 3

Make Your Mark in History: Register to Vote, Then Vote!

One of the most important ways anyone can help save unborn babies in 2012 is with their vote. The impact pro-life voters make in sending pro-life candidates to Congress is immeasurable. Research demonstrates that pro-life legislation saves lives, which pro-lifers celebrate and pro-abortionists loathe.

Every life saved is priceless.

Please join National Right to Life as we participate in a massive voter registration drive in which NRLC hopes to register millions of people nationwide.

If you’ve not voted previously, you do have to register. That only makes sense. But many, many people who have voted before have also moved. They may not know that if they have not updated their records, they will be ineligible to vote.

Let’s start with basics. If you are 18 years old by Election Day, you are old enough to vote. The first question is … are you registered to vote?

You do not need to register again if you registered to vote for a prior election and still live at the same address. However, if you have never voted before, or have not voted while living at your current address, you will need to register.

Imagine getting all excited on Election Day about voting for the first time, or for the first time in a new address, only to find that—through some simple oversight—you’re not properly registered. It’s too late! Your unhappiness will be compounded by the knowledge that pro-abortion forces are out there working hard to register their own people.

Perhaps the easiest way to complete a voter registration application is to go through National Right to Life’s website at www.nrlc.org.  The process is very user-friendly.

One caveat: Since registration is done through your state, the information you must submit may vary. Registration deadlines also vary widely, with many states setting them about a month in advance of the election.

Stay on the safe side by registering now! Okay, back to NRLC’s website at www.nrlc.org.

First, click on the “Register to Vote” button on the left side of the homepage. A map of the United States will appear and you will click on your state. At that point you will be able to review the specific rules that apply to you.

You will be asked to affirm that you are an eligible citizen and to provide your personal information, including an e-mail address. You may register with a party of your choice. (Doing so may be required if you wish to vote in an upcoming primary.)

A few clicks later you will see all the information you’ve entered inserted into the proper spaces on the form itself. Print out the form, sign and date it, and affix the proper postage.

Most applicants will need to enclose a copy of a valid photo ID or a qualified document that indicates your name and address. Again, follow your individual state’s instructions.

Only one step remains. Put all of this in the mail and wait for confirmation from the authorities that you are registered and ready to vote. It’s quite simple, really.

Note: This form is accepted by all states except New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. If you live in one of these states, when you click on the NRLC map, you see the link to the respective voter registration office webpage.

The second question is … are your pro-life friends registered to vote?

As an ambitious pro-lifer you will want to ensure that all your pro-life friends are also ready to vote. After downloading the form, you will see the “Tell a Friend” section that allows you to notify up to six friends via e-mail of the registration link. Include any Hispanic friends, as they may register “En Español” by clicking the button at the top of the first page.

For all those who want to learn more, right above “Tell a Friend” are links to races in your state and to action alerts that will keep you informed of the latest-breaking legislative developments.

If you run into difficulties check with your local authorities, who are the experts in registration requirements. Your phone book, and certainly your Internet-ready computer, should be able to direct you to your state’s elections division. But if you have pertinent and/or general questions, feel free to call National Right to Life at (202) 626-8838.

An even more ambitious pro-lifer will organize a voter registration drive in their church. Several years ago a local pro-life chapter organized a voter registration drive in a small West Virginia church. Fifteen people including the pastor and his wife registered to vote! They meant to get around to registering after they moved but had not found the time. In a close race a few votes may make the difference.

More than 4.1 million regular churchgoing citizens who voted in 2004 did not vote in 2008. Some people aren’t registered to vote, others just don’t care to vote, even others stay home to “make a statement” and somehow “teach a lesson,” and others simply forget to vote. Pro-lifers can never consider that possibility. When we don’t vote, babies die and their mothers and families are harmed.

Remember, lives are at stake. It behooves all eligible pro-life citizens to get ready to vote before it’s too late. Then vote.

Final question. Are you prepared?

Many elections will be determined by the slimmest of margins. Make your mark in history. Register to vote, then vote. And be sure to help your pro-life friends and family do the same.