by Shawn Gilbert, LWVDV Voter Services Co-Chair

LWV Diablo Valley was out in the community on September 12th, 18th, and 19th for Pittsburg High Back to School College Night, National Constitution Day, and National Voter Registration Day celebrations.

The Back-to-School College Night was a fun time as we met and chatted with a lot of parents and students about registering and Voter's Edge. On National Constitution Day, we joined with students at LMC in Pittsburg and with the County Elections Office to do voter registering and share information about Voter’s Edge.  It was an amazing fall day talking with a lot of students.

September 19th was National Voter Registration Day and, like many organizations across the nation, LWVDV was out at four different County Library sites -- Antioch, Clayton, Danville and Pittsburg -- chatting with community members about the importance of voting, checking their voting status, registering those who were interested, and sharing about Voter’s Edge.

A giant Thank You to our awesome team of members: Deborah Hicks, Martha Goralka, Emily Hopkins, Shelly Maramonte, Karen Dolder, Susan Johnson, Cathleen Kirk, and Shawn Gilbert for sharing their time to be in the community and promote the key to democracy…voting.

As I try to navigate the odd times we live in when so many fellow Americans seem to want to dismantle our democracy, I find going back to original text from our founding helps me get grounded.  So, as we leave the month of our Constitution’s birth, I invite you to reread The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

And perhaps, take another moment to read the “Common Interpretations” of the Preamble offered by two highly respected scholars.  We know The Preamble is the introduction to the Constitution, but what does it mean?  If you want to delve a bit deeper into The Preamble of the Constitution and its history, scroll further down on that webpage to the heading, “Explore more About the Preamble,” for even more great information.

Photo credits: Shawn Gilbert and Deborah Hicks (standing) at Pittsburg High; Deborah Hicks and Martha Goralka at Antioch Library for NVRD. Both photos courtesy of Shawn Gilbert.