Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/371467
September 2014 isea.org • ISEA Communiqué 8 8 VOTING So why vote early? IT'S CONVENIENT: You don't have to go to the ballot, the ballot comes to you. that's pretty nice. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE: waiting in line is a bummer. even if you remember to take a book or pass the time with your smart phone, you could be doing something more productive. YOU DON'T GET BOOTH ANXIETY: not only will you not have to wait in line, you won't feel rushed while reading through the ballot because no one is waiting in line behind you. LAST-MINUTE HICCUPS: A flat tire. A sick child. An ice storm. these are all legitimate reasons that could keep you from the polls on election day. there are many, many others too. Vote early and you don't have to worry. MAKE YOUR CIVICS TEACHER PROUD: dedicate your early ballot to the government teacher who first impressed upon you the importance of voting. consider the ballot as a little "thank you" note. But why vote at all? we put together a few numbers you should know when you consider if voting is worth your time. 52.8 that's the percentage of voting age iowans who cast a ballot four years ago. they picked the governor and state legislators who wrote the education reform bill and decided how much money should go to education each year. Your vote counts. convince one other person to do the same and have a powerful effect at the ballot box for education policy in iowa. 21.4 that's the average size of a public school third grade class in iowa. it's among the highest it's been for the last 15 years but still lower than it was in 1998-1999. the iowa State education Association works to keep class sizes small and supports lawmakers who do, because smaller class sizes are better for students and teachers. Vote for candidates who promise to keep class sizes small. 2 and 6 these are the seat margins in the iowa Senate and house. Senate democrats control the upper chamber 26-24, house Republicans control the lower chamber 53-47. it's that tight. in the last midterm election, seven key legislative races were decided by fewer than 100 voters. Your vote matters!