Vote for a Connected Gwinnett

The March referendum is quickly approaching, and the special election will decide whether or not transit will be expanded in Gwinnett. Rosetta Stone Communications recently conducted a poll that truly highlights how much work is set out for us if we want to approve the transit referendum.

Asking 960 local Gwinnettians who “routinely voted in general elections,” the poll discovered that 48 percent of respondents opposed the referendum, and another 10.5 percent said they were undecided. That means that just over 40 percent of people are in favor of the referendum passing. Keep in mind that at least 50 percent plus one vote is needed in order for any referendum to be passed. While these poll projections were not entirely representative of the population (65 percent of surveyors were white and 90 percent were over the age of 40), there is still a point to be made about the results.

It should be noted that Rosetta Stone Communications is a right-leaning organization and may have a “house bias,” meaning that their poll results tend to skew towards the outcome desired by conservatives. Regardless, this poll of likely voters gives us a glimpse of what will happen if there is low turnout, which is what they are assuming there will be. If it’s as low as they are expecting it to be in the poll, then the referendum will more than likely fail. This is why it’s so important for us to all get out and vote. We know from other polls that Gwinnettians as a whole want an expansion of public transit, but we have to actually vote for it to make it effective across our prospering county.

First, we will need the youth and minorities to come out to the polls. These groups are likely to favor passing the transit referendum, so it is vital to have as many supporters at the ballots. Though 48 percent opposed the referendum in the poll findings, the special election results will be different if the demographics alter to include younger voters as well as voters from minority communities.

Second, we will need as many voters to come out, period. This includes recently registered voters, regular voters, and dormant voters. The more Gwinnett residents that find their way to the polls, the more the election will actually represent our opinion on the referendum regardless of the outcome. Special elections do not have as high of a turnout as general elections, which means that every vote counts. In fact, the last special election in 2015 concerning the SPLOST referendum only garnered 25,222 votes across all of Gwinnett County. Consequently, every vote has more “swaying power,” so we need all the votes we can possibly get.

Third, all of us must to do our part so that we can promote the special election. We can actively promote on our social media outlets, discuss the issue everywhere we go from the workplace to the coffeeshop, encourage your friends and neighbors to vote on March 19th, and even volunteer with advocate groups. Former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams publicly announced her support for Gwinnett’s transit referendum, and she continues to challenge voter suppression with her new voting rights group Fair Fight Georgia. Go Gwinnett is another prominent advocacy group urging that now is the time to get on board with transit. Like Abrams, we must vocalize our support for transit expansion as it is an issue that concerns our everyday productivity, because let us be real for just a moment (who actually likes sitting in traffic)?

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson asserted the three ways in which we can actively support the cause:

• Educate people, and give them the facts very, very early.
• Leave no corner of Gwinnett unturned, geographically or demographically.
• Work harder than anyone who may or may not oppose this.

That is why I am holding my non-partisan Citizens Advisory Forum on the Transit Referendum this Saturday, February 16th, at 45 South Cafe at 10:30 AM. I encourage you and your peers to attend as we will discuss the referendum at large and also specific ways to get involved. In addition, please make sure to tell your friends and neighbors about the referendum vote and encourage them to vote. Talk about how important it is to vote with your colleagues. Discuss voting in your churches and places of worship. If you’re interested in volunteering, please visit gogwinnett.org and they can tell you exactly what they need. This referendum is too important to let slip through our hands simply because we couldn’t be bothered to get out and vote.

The special election outcome will affect all of us, whether we like it or not. So please, do your part to make your voices count, so that we can pass the transit referendum and build a more connected and accessible community.