Why It’s Important to Flex Your Vote

Nancy Roach, Fight CRC Founder & Board Chair

Why? Because many of the people who ultimately make these decisions are our elected officials, from local decisions about re-opening post-COVID to state decisions about access to screening to national decisions about funding for critical programs at the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This November you will have the chance to elect policymakers who represent you. Voting is the very foundation of advocacy. It is your first chance to engage with the policymakers that represent you at the federal, state and local level. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Fight CRC’s Flex Your Vote program.  

Like many, you may experience information overload during the election season. Fight CRC is here to help!  We want to  give the tools and knowledge you need to empower you to take action.

We made it easy to find out if you are already registered to vote, how to register to vote, and how to request a mail-in ballot if you need one. Cancer patients need to be especially careful voting in light of COVID, so mail-in ballots are important this year. 

Flex Your Vote also gives you the tools to engage the candidates running in your area. Our Flex Your Vote toolkit has information on how to reach your candidates as well as tips on what to ask them to determine if they will be a relentless champion for the colorectal cancer community.  

In our current time it can be easy to feel burnt out or overwhelmed by politics. Some people feel as though their vote doesn’t matter. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Here’s why voting is important: 

Build Relationships

Voting and engaging with candidates is the first step towards building a relationship with the people making decisions that could impact your care. When you share your story and educate  candidates on the issues that are important to you, that creates a lasting impression. It is the entry point to our ability to make change. 

Educate 

We live and breathe what it means to be a part of the colorectal cancer community, but we can’t assume that every candidate is as well-versed on the subject as we are. It is our job to educate our elected officials on what it means to have colorectal cancer and how they can support us. When candidates see that your community will show up and use your voice, they pay attention. 

Be Heard. CRC is a Priority!

The more people who vote and engage candidates around certain issues, the more powerful their message becomes. If we don’t raise our voices about issues that are important to the colorectal cancer community, no one else is going to do it for us.  

Fight CRC is a nonpartisan organization. We aren’t here to tell you who to vote for. There are as many reasons to vote as there are voters and each person has to make their own choices about what is most important to them. But we are here to give you the tools to get ready for Election Day, build relationships and raise your voice so that you feel confident going to the polls in November. 

What’s next? Sign our Flex Your Vote pledge! Pledge to cast your vote and raise your voice for the colorectal cancer community. To learn more, visit our website at FightCRC.org/Vote.

And don’t forget to share! Flex your vote with a strong arm selfie and post on social media. Encourage your friends and family to join you. Tag @FightCRC and use the hashtag #CRCAdvocacy so we can see this amazing community of relentless champions of hope get ready for Election Day!