October 11, 2016 at 12:29PM

#Register #Vote #SupportUkraine In 2014, after the November Mid-Term elections, the U.S. Congress passed, and the President signed into law the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation ever authorized for a European nation under siege since WWII. After months of activism by Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine across the country, the message was brought clearly to Congress that something needed to be done following the military invasion of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk. This year, after the November elections, there will be another "lame-duck" session of Congress where necessary but oft-postponed legislation will have another opportunity to be brought up before the 114th Session of Congress adjourns in late December. For supporters of Ukraine, that means discussions about adding an enhanced security assistance package for Ukraine in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), or even crafting a Senate version of the STAND for Ukraine Act (H.R. 5094), which passed in the U.S. House in September. What can you do this election season to influence the U.S. government to consider passing more legislation aiding Ukraine? The simple answer is 1) Register to vote, 2) Vote on November 8. When you vote in national, state and local elections, the secret ballot stands as an integral, almost sacred, element of voting. No political party or persons otherwise will know who you voted for. HOWEVER, political parties do have legal access to lists of who is registered to vote and who signed in at their voting precinct on the day of an election. Using that information, they cross-reference those names with vast databases to determine what communities are active in the electoral process, and how can they best endear themselves to such voters in the following election cycle. When it comes to the massive presidential elections every 4 years, the information gathering becomes even more intense. In short, if you have a Ukrainian-sounding surname, have posted in support of Ukraine on social media, or signed up for news alerts about the war in Ukraine, pollsters with access to such data will produce reports linking your preferences with other registered voters that feel the same way. The more Ukrainians sign up to vote on election day, the more political parties will motivate seek our support. Every election, millions of Americans do not cast a ballot because they miss their local registration deadlines. While the UCCA leaves it up to our members to choose whichever political party they prefer to follow and support, we look for ways for our community to be heard loudly and clearly when advocating for Ukraine’s freedom and independence. The strongest way to do this is to make sure you're registered to vote, and head to the polls on November 8. For 11 more states in the Union, today is the last day to register. Who can register? Any U.S. citizen over the age of 18 is eligible to register and vote. It only takes a couple of minutes. It takes just 30 seconds to make sure you're registered to vote at your current address: http://ift.tt/1mD8qft
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