Prescription to Vote
Sponsored by the APA Public Policy and Advocacy Committee
On Tuesday, November 2nd, individuals across the country can make their voices heard on a range of issues during the 2010 Midterm Elections, from state initiatives to choosing their state’s congressional representative. As pediatric professionals, we want our patients' families to have their voices heard, too.
In 2008, you made the APA Public Policy and Advocacy Committee’s program, “A Prescription to Vote,” a success. Now, we would like to help you encourage families in your practice to vote in the 2010 Midterm Elections.
Our goal is to give a Prescription to Vote to each family visiting our offices and clinics between now and November 2nd. Each prescription can be downloaded here in English or Spanish, printed and duplicated in your office, and given to parents. 
The prescription gives parents a “Prescription to Vote,” complete with instructions and resources for more information on voter registration, deadlines, and internet resources.
You can also have voter registration applications available on the spot for parents who aren’t registered to vote. Just contact your County Clerk or State Elections Office (click here for information) to order a stack of voter registration applications for your office. You may also consider asking your hospital to get involved by offering its own voter registration services. Be sure to check with your administration or governmental affairs office for your institution’s policies. Our goal is to encourage parents to exercise their right to vote and to be involved in the political process; remember to be sensitive to parents who are not legally permitted to vote.
We hope that you will implement the Prescription to Vote Program in your own offices and clinics by downloading the handout and giving it to parents.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for us, please contact:
Tumaini Coker, MD, MBA at tcoker@mednet.ucla.edu
Voting Information:
www.eac.gov | www.vote411.org | www.VoteSmart.org
www.DeclareYourself.com | www.RockTheVote.com
Educate yourself on the issues and get involved!
