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Dear Ò°»¨ÉçÇø Community,

This Tuesday, November 4, we have the opportunity to participate in one of our most sacred rights as Americans — the right to vote. This is a message about civic engagement, about responsibility, and about the power each of us holds to shape our communities and our future.

I write not to tell you how to vote, but to urge you that you should vote.

Every position on your ballot matters. The gubernatorial race will shape our state's trajectory. The statewide legislative contests will determine policies that touch your daily life. But democracy isn't just practiced in Trenton or DC. It lives and breathes in our neighborhoods. The local mayor is responsible for keeping our streets safe and clean. Your municipal council representatives determine if that pothole on your block gets filled, if that park where your children play gets maintained, if small businesses on your corner can thrive. Board of Education members shape the future of every child who walks through a classroom door in your community. 

These aren't abstract positions, they're the people who are responsible when you call about the issues that matter most to you and your loved ones. This is where democracy becomes real. This is where your voice carries weight. This is where change begins not in distant capitals, but in the communities we call home.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires our active participation. It demands that we show up, that we engage, that we exercise our voice. Whether you lean left, right, or center, or anywhere in between, your vote is your power. It is how "We the People" author our American story.

If you are registered to vote, you can locate your polling location at

Tuesday, November 4, is a statewide flex holiday for those of us in higher education. If you choose to take the day off, I encourage you to vote and if possible, help someone in your family or community get to the polls. Perhaps an elderly neighbor needs a ride, or a working parent could use support with childcare while they vote.

Voting is more than filling out a ballot. It is an act of hope. It is a statement that we believe in the promise of democracy, that we have faith in our collective power to build a better tomorrow. It is how we honor those who fought for this right, and how we preserve it for those who will come after us.

Voting is a privilege that people around the world continue to die for while we too often take it for granted. Let’s not be complacent. What we do matters. How we show up matters. Whether we participate matters. Civic engagement is a responsibility. Every voice deserves to be heard, and democracy thrives when we all participate. I'll see you at the polls.

Yours in service,


President
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