President's Viewpoint
The Almighty Vote

Urge a nonvoter to vote, and you just might change the course of history.

As an old social studies teacher, I've always found the excuses people give for not voting on a par with "the dog ate my homework."

As educators concerned about children and public schools, we need to confront these excuses seriously and refute them in a reasoned but empassioned manner. With so much at stake--the White House, the Supreme Court (the next President will probably name three new justices), the Congress--it isn't enough that we vote, we must also persuade others to vote.

Excuse number one: "My vote doesn't count."

In fact, there's a ton of historical evidence that says your vote does count. In the 1960 Presidential election, for example, one vote per precinct would have elected Richard Nixon President rather than John Kennedy. Six years ago, the governor of Maryland was elected by fewer than 6,000 votes out of more than 1.4 million cast.

And this year's Presidential election is shaping up to be a very close one. Rest assured, every vote will count.

Excuse number two: "Elections don't really matter because politicians will promise anything to get elected, and then do whatever they please."

That all depends--on the politician.

Take North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, for instance. Hunt, a Democrat, is a politician who has been true to his word. He promised to be a pro-public education governor and that's precisely what he has been--on everything from providing decisive support for teacher salary raises to help for low-performing schools.

Illinois Governor George Ryan, a Republican supported by our NEA state affiliate in 1996, is another such politician. Under his leadership, state funding for public schools has increased by more than a billion dollars.

Some candidates do deliver, and it matters tremendously whether we vote for them. Remember, bad public officials are elected by good citizens who don't vote.

Excuse number three: "There is no real difference between the candidates. Voting isn't worth the effort."

Actually, when it comes to education, differences between candidates can be quite stark. Look at the race for President.

Vice President Gore has vowed to support class-size reduction. Governor Bush says class size is a local concern. Vice President Gore wants to invest in school modernization and expansion. Governor Bush has said, "I don't believe the federal government should be building classrooms across the country."

Vice President Gore wants accountability coupled with "support" for students and educators alike. Governor Bush wants to "shine the spotlight of shame on failing schools."

Vice President Gore opposes private school tuition vouchers. Governor Bush wants the federal government to subsidize vouchers.

This last summer, the delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly voted, in a secret ballot, by 89.5 percent, to support Al Gore for president of the United States.

Studies have found that simply asking people to vote raises turnout. Given that reality, imagine what we, as educators, could accomplish if we urged nonvoters not just to vote, but to vote on the issues that matter to our students and schools.

In a close election, we could make all the difference in the world.

Comments? You can E-mail Bob Chase at BobChase@nea.org. If you would like a response, please be sure to include your name and NEA local affiliate.