Today is Election Day. So I need you to get out and Vote! Monroe County has a number of important races. The outcome of these races will have an impact on everyone living in Monroe County for some time. Because I am involved in crime issues, and also have restarted Court Watch in Southwest Rochester, I know that who my Supreme Court Judge, County Court Judge, and City Court Judge are, really does make a difference in my quality of life. There are times when through Court Watch we advocate for someone to spend a long, long time behind bars. There are other times we advocate for a Judge to mandate a youthful offender finish school and not serve time. We need Judges that consider the best interest of the community when they make those decisions. The three people elected Today will be making those decisions. In the same way, as part of Court Watch I spend a lot of time talking to Assistant District Attorneys and Public Defenders, so I also know who my District Attorney is, really does make a difference. In my area of the City, I have met all of three candidates running to represent me in City Council, and worked on neighborhood and City wide projects with two of them. Having worked with them and my current City Council representative, I know how important that job is. The last category is the race for City School Board. For those who know me, you know I care deeply about Schools and about the RCSD Schools. I have met all of the candidates running. I have even had a chance to moderate a debate with all of them. We have some fine candidates to choose from. I do know that whoever is elected to the City School Board will have a profound impact on the lives of our children and the City. Currently the City School Board is debating a policy to allow condom distribution in Schools (which I support, you may not, but I do). The people elected today with our other sitting Board members will make that decision. There has been a hue and cry in the area about how parents need to be involved in choosing our next superintendent. Well this is your chance. The people elected today will choose our next Superintendent. We need a good one, No, we need a great one. Our children and our City need a great one. So we need qualified Board Members that will make that choice. Are you going to help pick that person, or leave it to someone else? If you have noticed, I have not endorsed any candidates in this note. What I am asking is that you get out and VOTE. Politicians, leaders in our community, media outlets look at the turnout as an indicator of public interest. Low turnout means we don’t care about an issue. If we don’t care, the issues that are really important get ignored and not funded. I know we care, but they don’t, unless you get out and VOTE. Now lastly, what most people consider the big ticket race on Tuesday is for County executive. This is an extremely important election. The outcome of which will have an impact on the City of Rochester, and Monroe County for years to come. This is also the race I feel most strongly about. However my purpose is not to tell you who I want you to vote for, but rather to tell you to get out and VOTE today.