If you don’t vote, you can’t whine …

Since Presidential candidates often seem to express the same views but in different words, it may not look like it matters who wins. But this doesn’t mean it’s not important to vote.

According to Stephanie Vance, the Advocacy Guru at Advocacy Associates, here are the reasons why it’s absolutely critical all eligible voters make their views known November 4:

· Congress Matters: All 435 members of the U.S. House must stand for re-election, as well as 35 members of the U.S. Senate. Decisions about the balance of power rest in citizens’ hands.

· Your Neighborhood Matters: Every city, town and borough in the country will have an opportunity to vote on issues that will impact them on a day-to-day basis.

· Your Pocketbook Matters: Whether it’s your pension, your insurance or how long unemployment benefits will last, don’t you want people you trust making those decisions?

· The Health of Our Democracy Matters: Good decisions are made only when all views are considered. Further, when we don’t participate, we give up our right to whine about the outcome.