September 26, 2008
September 26, 2008
Registration deadline is October 6
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today reminded citizens not to miss the October 6 deadline to register to vote in what may be the most important election of our lifetime.
"You know about the challenges we face every day - our soldiers are fighting in Iraq, energy prices are soaring, and our economy is in turmoil - all good reasons to vote," Granholm said. "But you can't vote unless you are registered, and the deadline for registering is October 6."
The governor emphasized that registering to vote is easy. You must be at least 18-years-old on or before Election Day and be a U.S. citizen. Also, you must be a resident of Michigan and the city or township in which you wish to register.
Citizens can register to vote in person at any Secretary of State or Department of Human Services office, or by mail. Residents can also register to vote by visiting www.michigan.govto find the mail-in form, check their registration status, learn how to vote by absentee ballot, find a map to their local polling place, and more.
"College students should remember that your driver's license and voter registration address must be the same," Granholm said. "If you're already registered, make sure your friends, family, and neighbors are registered - and then get out and vote this November! It's so easy - and it's so important."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site at (www.michigan.gov/gov) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - Voter Registration Deadline
September 26, 2008
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov164_Full_250743_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/_Gov164_Edit_250750_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov164_Quote_250747_7.mp3
This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
This year we have the chance to vote in what may be the most important election of our lifetime. You know about the challenges we face every day - our soldiers are fighting in Iraq, energy prices are soaring, and our economy is in turmoil - all good reasons to vote.
But you can't vote unless you are registered and the deadline for registering is October 6.
No matter which issue is most important to you …
- Ending the unfair trade practices that have sent thousands of manufacturing jobs out of Michigan;
- Providing quality schools and teachers for every student;
- Preserving and protecting our Great Lakes;
- Ending the foreclosure crisis that threatens the American dream for so many who have worked so hard; or
- Ensuring that our soldiers, who fight so bravely, aren't putting their lives on the line for a right we take for granted.
To make your voice heard on these and so many other critical issues, you must be registered to vote.
Choosing which candidates to elect may require some effort, but registering to vote is simple.
To register, you must be at least 18-years-old on or before Election Day and be a U.S. citizen. You must be a resident of Michigan and the city or township in which you wish to register. You can register in person at any Secretary of State or Department of Human Services office, or by mail.
Visit www.michigan.govto find the mail-in form, check your registration status, learn about voting by absentee ballot, and more - you can even find a map to your local polling place.
College students should remember that your driver's license and voter registration address must be the same. If you register to vote in your college community, the address on your driver's license will automatically be updated. Changing your registration to an on-campus address shouldn't impact your parents' tax returns or your health insurance coverage.
So many have sacrificed so much to ensure that we have the right to vote, which is why it's so important to be registered for this year's critical election.
As Dr. Martin Luther King said, without the right to vote, "I cannot live as a democratic citizen, observing the laws I have helped to enact - I can only submit to the edict of others."
Register to vote now - on or before the October 6 deadline - so you don't miss this historic election.
If you're already registered, make sure your friends, family, and neighbors are registered - and then get out and vote this November!
It's so easy - and it's so important.
Thanks for listening.
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