Have you registered to vote yet?

Have you registered to vote yet? You have until October 20th, 2008 to register by mail in California.

This post was supposed to coincide with APIA Vote's Day of Action on October 4th to encourage people to register to vote in the next big election, but what can I say? I was too busy registering to vote to write this post yesterday. Whoops.

OK, not really. I've actually been registered to vote for years, but if you aren't also registered to vote, just like all those celebrities are saying in that YouTube clip above, you seriously should. This country has been going through some [*ahem*] tumultuous times lately, with the war and the economy being just two topics of discussion where you might have something to say. Even if you aren't too into politics, it never hurts to pay attention, and now is as good a time as ever to start participating civically. How else are we going to let the government and elected officials know when they're messing up? How else are we going to demonstrate our support for certain policies and laws over others? How is our generation going to even begin to deal with the mess all these old people made of our country/future? The first step of the solution is simple. You gotta vote.

I know my simplistic generalizations urging you to vote totally insult your intelligence, so if you need more information, I've put together a few useful links below:

Need information on how to get registered? Go to: http://www.maps.google.com/vote

Read up on Why Asian Americans should care about voting.

Need objective, non-partisan information to help you decide how you want to vote? Check out information provided by the League of Women Voters of California
or for information with more of a youth perspective, check out
Rock the Vote.

Although most Nakayoshi members are probably rooting for the same Presidential candidate come Election Day on November 4th, Nakayoshi cannot endorse specific candidates because our parent organization, JACL, is an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. That being said, there are certainly candidates and ballot initiatives you are welcome to stump for in the comments section. Are you involved with an issue or care about a ballot initiative or candidate in this coming election? Think we should know more about it? Leave a comment! Drop that knowledge bomb on us.

After reading this post, if you still need personal help registering to vote, let us know at nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com and we'll do our best to get you registered. I'll bet I could even take off my bra from under my shirt like Sarah Silverman did in that video while we do it.

Ok kids. go register. go vote.