8 November 2016

Micheal Baca- DNC National Delegate and Colorado Elector for Bernie Sanders

Look at that date. Internalize that date. For this is the day history is made. But I have to ask, which history? All our votes are boiled down and sorted into 538 individuals across the country to elect the next President of the United States.

We must understand that in our country the votes of 210 million people are votes for 538 people who then cast the ballot for the most powerful individual in the world. Today when we are at the polls we ought to think about the repercussions this has, not only for the citizens of the country but the citizens of the globe and most importantly all life on earth. However, it is important to understand how much power 538 electors do have.

“The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate” Source

This is a role with real constitutional authority. This is why everyone needs do their part and get out and vote. There are ways to protest but if you refuse to vote you are refusing to allow your voice to be heard and if you think your voice does not matter, it does. Your voices today will shape the outlook of the Electoral College.

This is almost a terrifying immense amount of responsibility. But there is one thing I want to ask, is it right that 538 people have the option to set the course of history for all life on this dying planet? I am merely a conduit to share my experiences but what is at stake here is too important.

Tonight we face one of many possible futures, and this is why it is imperative that we get out and vote. We must not only retain the White House, but we need to give our next President all the help She will need so that we can enact the most progressive platform in American History.

Get out and vote up and down the ballot. Do what you feel is right because our votes today will shape our government for the coming future. Election day should be a national unification day. We have heard all the information and lack thereof needed to go to the polls and cast our vote to decide how we feel the direction of the world should go. After the votes have been counted, we should respect the results and move forward so that we can start to fix the very serious problems permeating through our country and society.

We have more power in numbers, and an Undivided America is far better than a divided America. So as the Democratic National Elector for Congressional District One in Colorado, I urge you to go out and vote. Then on your behalf I have the extreme and privileged honor to be able to cast my ballot for our very first female President of the United States.

This has been a long election season, and so much information has come to light, and the Electoral College is no different. We should then look to why these 538 people have so much power over so many other people globally. This is a responsibility I do not take lightly in spite of its ceremonial nature.

I want to thank everyone for their support this whole season and I appreciate all the wonderful friends and allies I have made. A lot of people are upset by what has happened but I remain optimistic. I am optimistic for many reasons but mostly because never before in human history have our words and actions been able to reach billions of minds in the world throughout. Tonight history is made but the future is still in our hands.

Get out and vote, because our Planet depends on it.