Election day is Tuesday, November 6. EHC is out working hard to get our communities out to vote. When you do get ready to head to the polls, here are a few tips to make your day successful:

1. Read up on propositions and candidates. EHC has a voter guide, listing the state propositions we support to help continue our mission to keep our communities and environment healthy.

2. Know your polling location. If you don’t know your polling location, visit the San Diego County Registrar of Voters to find out where you vote. Also remember that the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Plan accordingly to make sure you have time to get out and vote.

3. Lock in a babysitter or work with other parents to trade times where you can vote and help watch your friends kids.

4. Know your voting rights. Each voter has a set of rights available to him or her. For instance, if you are not on the list of registered voters or someone asks for your ID to vote, there are options. Before you go, read the rights every voter has in California.

5. You can take a sample ballot of even the list of candidates printed in the paper with you into the polling locations. You can even bring in an endorsement list, just as long as that item you have does not contain any campaign advertisements.

6. If you need help voting, you are allowed to have a family member, a friend or caregiver in the booth with you to assist you.

7. If you are unsure about something on your ballot, ask for assistance from an election official. Do not be embarrassed to ask for help.

8. Don’t feel rushed. Take your time when you enter the voting booth.

9. Be prepared to stand in line. There is a good chance you will be standing in line at some polling locations in order to vote.

Remember, you can always contact EHC if you have any questions by calling (619) 474-0220 or email Franco at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. Make sure you get out to vote and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

After digging into recent statewide polling from the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), EHC found that more San Diego Latino voters support environmental initiatives including renewable energy and protecting the environment to create jobs than the rest of California.

Our Latino population in San Diego County is growing. That also means we have a growing number of environmentally conscious voters that can make big impacts in the upcoming election.

The statewide data show this about San Diego Latino voters:

• 94% agree that we can protect the environment and create jobs
• 82% consider themselves “conservationists”
• Over 90% support energy conservation and renewable energy
• Over 80% feel that pollution is threatening their family’s health

These results show that our communities will have an overwhelming voice in how the environment is considered at the polls this election.

We already knew this. Our Voter Empowerment team and our Community Action Teams meet and talk with community members on a regular basis. We’ve been doing this work for over 30 years. Here’s what else we know - no matter where you live, how much you make or what color your skin is, we should all care about clean air, water and energy in our neighborhoods – especially at the ballot box.

Because we know our communities care about the health of their neighborhoods and environment, every person at EHC is working around the clock to educate voters and get them out to vote. We’re making sure “environmentally friendly” is the magic word voters think about when they’re making choices on November 6.

Please make sure you get out to vote on November 6 and check out the EHC Voter Guide for info on propositions we support. Your Vote. Your Voice.

 Yesterday, former presidential candidate and Senator, George McGovern died at the age of 90. McGovern will be remembered for his compassionate values and his fight for a better quality of life for everyone.

In the midst of our current contentious election we've lost this great leader who gave his life to social justice and human rights and who said on many occasions: “I will go to my grave believing that the country would have been better off if I had been elected instead of Richard Nixon.”  It was not an immodest statement – merely factual for anyone who then lived through the continuation of the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and assaults on civil rights.   

I volunteered for the McGovern presidential campaign that year in 1972. By the time I returned home from precinct walking and poll watching on election night, it was all over. McGovern had only won in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. It was considered the worst presidential election loss in history.  But, despite the loss, an entire generation of activists was inspired to keep working for justice. This was my first time to be highly involved in a political campaign, starting my future fighting for healthy communities. 

Today we have a new generation of activists working to elect leaders, who share McGovern’s passion for justice for all people. Our current generation of young people, families, moms, dads, are all continuing to fight for some of the same things that were fought for in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Summarizing his views on many issues in his 2011 book, the last of twelve written, he said, “Be compassionate. Put government to work to help the less fortunate. End hunger. Spend more for education. Protect the environment.”

Let’s show our compassion for our neighbors and communities and work hard until November 6 on today’s campaign, 40 years after McGovern’s devastating loss. We cannot look back on this election as a lost opportunity – let’s recommit ourselves in these last days to elect candidates who will carry on his legacy.

Si se puede!

Did you know that the last day to register to vote is October 22? Or, that you don’t have to have an I.D. in order to cast your vote?

It’s very important that you know your voting rights before you go to the polls on November 6, because unfortunately, not everyone is aware of them.

It’s been said before, but this election is one of the most important in our history as a community and an environmental justice organization. EHC would like you to go to the polls feeling excited that you’re doing your part as a citizen – and comfortable knowing the rights you have as a voter. EHC is working hard to make sure that everyone who can vote does vote, because our communities are key to supporting environmental justice in San Diego.

For instance, you may not know what to do if you show up to your polling place and find that you’re not on the voter list. What are your options?

• First, ask the poll worker to check again. There are a lot of names on that list, so a quick double check is always helpful.
• Secondly, call the voter registrar to make sure that this is the correct polling location for you. This just takes a few minutes by calling 1-800-345-VOTE (8683).
• Finally, ask for a “provisional” ballot. This allows you to vote at any location, so long as you’re a registered voter.
  

Additionally, here are a few key dates you should know about before the election:

• October 22, 2012 at midnight is the last opportunity to register to vote in the November 6 election. If you haven’t registered or don’t know if you’re registered, you can do this online at www.sdvote.com.
  
• October 30, 2012 is the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot, which allows you to send in your ballot through mail, if you’d rather not go to the polls.
• November 6, 2012 is election day. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. You can find your polling place at www.sdvote.com.

Check out the ACLU of San Diego’s Voter Rights Guide to follow simple instructions to help you make a difference on November 6 or download the Voter Rights Postcard.

For more in-depth information, visit the ACLU of California’s Voter Rights page.