I am proud of our community for participating in the Black Lives Matter protests in June.

To continue to stand up for racial justice, one of the most important things we can do is vote on Aug. 4 and on Nov. 3.

Be informed. Learn about the issues and the candidates. An easy way to do this is to go to Vote411.org.

The responses come directly from candidates and are unedited, so there is no “political spin.”

If social justice is important to you, vote for candidates who say it’s important to them, too, and read what changes they plan to implement.

Of course, make sure you are registered to vote! The Michigan Voter Information Center (mvic.sos.state.mi.us) can help you with the registration process.

If you are concerned about voting in person or you will be out of town on the election days, vote through an absentee ballot. Everyone in Michigan has the right to vote through an absentee ballot. All you need to do is request an absentee ballot application at the Michigan Voter Information Center. Remember, this is a two-step process. You need to request the application and fill it out before the actual ballot can be sent to you.

If you do vote in person, you should first contact Penny Shults, Orion Township Clerk, because some of the voting locations have changed.

Voting is a privilege and a right. The ability to have your voice be heard is one of the best things about our country. We were willing to raise our voices during our peaceful protests this summer.

Now we must raise our voices by wisely choosing candidates and making sure that our votes are counted.

Sincerely,

Kristen Remenar

Lake Orion