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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2016)
Street Roots • Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016 You don’t need a home to vote Page 13 Poetry Untitled By Maddy Brown-Clark BY JEANNE P. ATKINS OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE Mowing your voice to be heard during elections is a cornerstone of American democracy, and yet the reality is that not everyone is weM represented. In Oregon, we have been recognized pioneers in making voting as accessible to as many people as possible through efforts like vote-by-mail and the Oregon Motor Voter program. But barriers still exist These barriers result in real consequences. National voter turnout has been consistently low in low-income and homeless communities. And while unfortunate, it’s also understandable. When you’re struggling to keep a roof over your head or food on the table, making sure you’re properly registered to vote and get that baMot in may not be your number one priority. As Oregon’s chief elections official, I would like us to do better. Being homeless does not mean you have to be voiceless. And registering to vote in Oregon is relatively simple. The bottom line is you don’t need a traditional home to vote. However, you do need to define your physical location in some way to register as a voter. Let me explain: First of all, let’s establish the basic rules. To vote in the upcoming November 8th election, you must be a U.S. citizen; be at least 18 years old; be a resident of Oregon; and be registered by the Oct. 18 deadline. That is it Next step: defining your physical location. This is important because your county needs to know which district races belong on your baMot. So whMe a P.O. Box or General Delivery address doesn’t fit this requirement, you are permitted to use the address of a shelter, park, street comer - or anywhere else you spend a significant amount of your time. Because Oregon is a completely vote-by-mail state, the final chaMenge is identifying a mailing address. If you already have a reliable maMing address, you could use that You are also aMowed to use your county elections office as your maMing address and the office will hold the ballot for you to pick up. If you need assistance or have questions, please reach out to your county elections office. You can also caM the Oregon Elections Division at 1-866-673- VOTE (8683). In our democratic system, every person’s vote carries the same weight. Where you live, what you do, or who you are doesn’t change the fact that every eligible voter gets to have an equal say as the person next to them. Our democracy works best when all voices are heard. Including yours. « Tri-County Elections Offices Multnomah County Elections 501 SE Hawthorne Portland, OR 97214 (503)988-3720 Washington County Elections 155 N First Ave. Hillsboro, OR 97124 (503) 846-5800 Clackamas County Elections 1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 100 Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 655-8510 n^nle’s FARMERS’MARKET WEDNESDAYS 2-7PM The leaves of Autumn Sad through the air And gently touch the frigid ground They wait to be raked and gathered into a pile To join the mulch To make the gardens grow And one leaf make it’s way into my favorite Book to mark a page While more leaves of Autumn blow in the wind. Dream... by Daniel Cox Emerging from a dream, unaware of myself And my present condition. State of mind. Floating in space I am aware of my sense Now, I am standing on the edge Of a great ledge. 1 don’t know How I earner to this, 1 am baffled By this event But wait it’s all coming back Emerging from a dream I close my eyes. And when I reopen them, I am no longer on that Ledge, but I’m in a room. Much is going .on in this room. Talk of this, and talk of that. People just mingling about The hustle And bustle of the go getters Emerging from a dream... How do At Health Share, we believe good health is more than what happens inside your doctor's office. Good health starts in your community and includes staying active, eating healthy food and getting regular check-ups. Share your healthy habits with family and friends. We can all have better health when we share it together. UP TO $10 MATCH WITH EDT CARD We're passionate about helping our community access healthy food that they can trust. By shopping it our market, you’ll get extra food dollars while supporting local farmers and community. 3029 SE 21st Ave. btwn Powell & Division Better health together. www.healthshareoregon.org Cuts & Checks Barbershop Blood Pressure Program / Terrell Brandon Barbershop North by Northeast Community Health Center/ Legacy Emanuel Medical Center
