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I Farm. I Vote.
Posted on Sep 24, 2018 at 0:00 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2018
CONTACT: Jeffrey Harvey, jaharvey@gfb.org, 478-474-0679, ext. 5282
Georgia Farm Bureau encourages Georgians to make their voice heard at the polls
MACON, Ga. – On election days, when Georgia voters show up to the polls, they’re given stickers with the image of a peach and the words, “I’m a Georgia Voter.” It’s akin to letters awarded to scholastic athletes showing that they played their part in something bigger than themselves.
Author Louis L’Amour said, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers.”
Georgia Farm Bureau is urging all Georgia citizens to be participants, to make their voice known on Nov. 6, when the state will elect its next governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state, along with many other state and national officials. It is a serious responsibility.
“Georgia Farm Bureau is nonpartisan and has a long-standing record of working with officials from all parties,” said GFB President Gerald Long. “Our organization is not endorsing any candidate, but we are encouraging all Georgians involved with agriculture or who live in rural communities to take your civic right to vote seriously, research where the candidates stand on issues important to rural Georgia and to vote.”
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9 and early voting begins Oct. 15.
GFB has launched a website, www.ifarmivoteGa.com, to assist Georgia’s voters in these areas. The site provides profiles of candidates for governor and includes their responses to questions the organization posed regarding agricultural and rural issues. The site also includes information about how and where to register to vote, and the locations of local voting precincts.
According to the United States Election Project, in the non-presidential election in 2014, the last election for Georgia governor, 38.6 percent of Georgia citizens eligible to vote submitted ballots. Statistics from the office of the Georgia Secretary of State indicate turnout among registered voters was 50.3 percent, and in 88 of Georgia’s 159 counties the turnout was less than 50 percent.
The Georgia governor’s race gets the most attention and understandably so. The Georgia governorship is among the most powerful nationwide, with the responsibility of appointing hundreds of key positions throughout state government.
However, the importance of the election in November goes well beyond the gubernatorial campaign. There are numerous “down the ballot” races for local, state and national positions, which makes it vitally important that rural Georgians take the time to become informed about issues and candidates, to register and show up to vote.
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization and has 158 county offices. Its volunteer members actively participate in local, state and national activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. GFB offers its members a wide variety of benefits, including insurance, but enrollment in any of the member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership.
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