June 2020 | Page 2

PR for People® The Connector is published monthly by Xanthus Communications LLC, 2212 Queen Anne Avenue North, PMB #615, Seattle, WA 98109. Please send any address changes to [email protected].

Copyright ©2020 by Xanthus Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Written content and original photos in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be sent to Patricia Vaccarino [email protected].

Everyone is talking about voting in this election! People of all stripes and colors are standing up for themselves.  Americans speak their minds and never quit, even when the going gets tough, or when darkness sets in and steals light away from truth.

If you are at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, a resident of a state, and not a felon, you can vote. One person gets one vote. The stakes are high! This year is going to be a very close election and there is no telling who might win. Candidates are running neck and neck like a horse race. Your vote can really make a difference.

How do you plan to vote in the 2020 election? Will you vote by mail or will you go to a poll on election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020? You need to think how you will vote because some states continue to pass voter suppression laws designed to limit our voices. Some states have more restrictive voter ID laws in place. Your state might be one of them. That’s why it’s important for you to plan ahead now and know how you will vote. Every state has a deadline for you to register to vote by mail, so you can stay safe and secure.

In this issue of the Connector, Barbara Lloyd McMichael has written about how vote-by-mail can help to generate higher voter turnout. Her feature article explores what is going on with voting in Wisconsin, South Carolina and the state of Washington, as well as the current status and capabilities of the United States Post Office. Voting by mail has major ramifications for the outcome of the 2020 election.

Statistically, if you take a COLD voter (who has not voted in the last 3 elections, only 10% will vote, but 60% will vote by mail; of WARM voters, 50% will vote but 86% will vote by mail; and of NEW voters,  42% will vote but 84% will vote by mail. So, if more grass roots initiatives focus on getting people to sign up to vote by mail, many more people will turn out to vote.

Each month we write about a library somewhere in America. Libraries face a special challenge during the pandemic and have shifted many of their services to digital delivery and are offering many types of programs, including book discussion groups via Zoom. In this issue of the Connector, we have the wonderful contribution made by Steve Sears, who writes about the beauty, value and excitement of having your own library at home. Steve Sears has written for community, state, regional, and national publications, both in print and online.

Remember to stay safe, secure, and vote! -Patricia Vaccarino

PR FOR PEOPLE®

THE

CONNECTOR

Editorial Staff

Chief Content Creator:

Patricia Vaccarino

Published by PR for People®

Brand Manager:

Josue Mora

Copy Editor:

Lars Brockner

Chief Photographer:

Ilya Moshenskiy

Design and Layout:

Josue Mora

Photo Credits:

William Lulow Josue Mora, Ilya Moshenskiy,

Patricia Vaccarino, and a special thanks to

Barbara Lloyd McMichael, and Steve Sears.

Special thanks to

BLOC – Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, Rhodes Bailey, courtesy of the Supreme Court of South Carolina, Kim Wyman, and King County Elections.

Contributors:

Edith Lynn Beer, Lynn Berger, Gregg Bertram, , Dave Bresler, Peter Corning Ph.D, Rongqing Dai Ph.D,

Bernadette Erasmus,

John de Graaf, JoAnne Dyer, Anna Faktorovich, Ph.D.,

Ron Flavin, Michael Fliegelman, Randy Friedberg, Esq.,

Manny Frishberg,

Linda Jay Geldens ,

Henri P. Gaboriau, MD,

Sally Haver, Alison Harris,

Roger Hillman, Lorraine Howell, David L. Laing, Linda Jay,

Nick J. Licata,

Chef William Lulow,

Dean Landsman,

Barbara Lloyd McMichael,

Joe Puggelli, Oliver Roth,

Jerry Sander, Annie Searle,

Steve Sears, Hall Stuart-Lovell, Jordan Riefe, William Thomas, Patricia Vaccarino, and

Serena Wadhwa.

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Friends & Colleagues:

Patricia Vaccarino's Home Library