Every Vote Counts!

Freedom to vote is one of the most important and most hard-earned political rights outside the Bill of Rights. We began as a nation where rights were restricted to only white men. It’s only because of the perpetual hard work and firm beliefs of people like Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul, Martin Luther King Jr, and many more that the franchise of voting rights was expanded to include people of color and women. In the spirit of these trailblazers, at Mural Arts, we too believe in the power of voting. Democracy cannot be taken for granted. It involves participation and commitment to work in an ideal manner.

The right to vote is essentially one of the most important freedoms we have as Americans. It gives the people a determining voice and ensures that policies and plans that will affect our communities and lives are implemented fairly and equitably. The importance of voting can be realized by answering a simple yet important question, what can be achieved by voting?

At Mural Arts, we believe that the act of voting is essential. We carry a deep respect for the legacy of not only the activists and politicians but also the many everyday citizens who quietly died in pursuit of voting rights. Too many others gave their lives to give us the privilege to vote.

We deeply believe that citizens need to have an active role in the selection of the people who are making decisions on both a local, state, and federal level. As voters, we challenge all of you to take a pledge to support the cultural sector in substantive meaningful ways.

Our Executive Director, Jane Golden, succinctly captures why voting matters especially for the arts. “We need leadership to believe in the possibility of the arts,” says  Golden. “As a citizen of Philadelphia and someone who loves the arts. I’ve seen the impact – the importance of cultural citizenship. Art is the most powerful instrument for real change,” explains Golden. “It can bring change in systems. But there is a scarcity model in our city – that the arts can be cut any time.”

“Let’s reframe the argument – let’s put art as public interest. I believe in the power of art. I have seen its first-hand impact on the lives, communities, and, by extension, on the civic life of our city,” says Golden. “We know that countless lives have been changed, inspired, mended, uplifted, rerouted, inspired by art. We know the stories, and we have seen the data — over and over and over.”

“All the work that goes on in our sector points to the importance of cultural citizenship, social healing, and sustainable communities. Sometimes in our work, I feel a sense of shared opportunity and collective responsibility … true exercises of democracy, explains Golden”

Art is not an embellishment, entertainment, or decoration. We need to shine a light on our intrinsic human desire to create, acknowledge the importance of full cultural citizenship, and nurture the hope for social healing.

The poet Adrianne Rich says:

What would it mean
To live in a city whose people were
changing each other’s despair
into hope?

And then she answers:

You yourself must change it

You yourself must change it.

We must change it.

We believe we not only have the capacity, we have the responsibility.

Adrianne Rich’s words resonate with our call for active civic participation, which begins with casting your vote. In a democratic system, voting lies at the heart of its values. It’s undoubtedly the most critical step in moving towards a better and brighter future. We encourage you to get out and vote for leaders who will support the arts and put it at the center of public interest.

MAIL-IN BALLOT &  ELECTION DAY INFO shared by Indivisible Philadelphia 

Now that we’ve emphasized the importance of voting, here are some essential tips to make your voice heard:

If you want to see how important this election is, simply go to the Inquirer’s endorsement page.  Check it out here.

Here are the Mail-in Ballot and Election Day tips —

1.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 7th. Polls are open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.  If you are in line by 8:00 you can still vote.  Find your polling place at this link.

2.  If you want to vote by mail, the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is TODAY, October 31. You can sign up online at this link.  You must do it before 5:00 pm on October 31.

3.  If you have already signed up to vote by mail, you can check your ballot status at this link.

4.  Your voted Mail-in Ballot must be received by the Election Board by 8:00 pm on Election Day. Again track the status of your application and ballot at this link.

5.  If you’re not mailing it, drop it in a drop box. A listing of the mail-in ballot drop boxes is at this link.

6.  You can find the instructions for correctly handling your mail-in ballot to make sure you follow the rules and your vote is counted. Go to this link for the instructions.

7.  More information is at Linktr.ee/VotePHL or call these numbers– 877-868-3772 or 215-686-3469.

8.  Want to vote at the polls after receiving your mail-in ballot? You can! Take it to the polls (with the envelopes) and they’ll take care of you.

9.  If you have any problems at the polls at all, you can always vote on a provisional ballot. It will be counted.

10.  Questions about what’s on the ballot? Go to the election page on our website at this link.