I was raised by a family who taught me that to vote is to be an American, and to this day I still believe that. I like to vote because it allows me to voice my opinion about who is elected to office in this country.

There is also another great reason to vote: you get an opportunity to vote on your own state’s ballot questions. There are about 150 state questions being voted on this November. And while some of the states vote on controversial issues including immigration (AZ, CA, MO, OR), tax limitations (AZ, MA, ND, OR) and abortion (CA, CO, SD), there will be a handful of other states who will be voting on animal rights issues (CA, MA, OK).

This isn’t a blog telling you which way to vote; I am just talking about one of the many reasons to vote. Like every other American you have the ability to make your own decision. The most important thing you can do is to go out and vote on November 4th. Since the animals cannot vote, then we humans hold their future in our hands, and that is why it is so important. There are many state animal issues that did not make it to the ballots, but the three that did are listed below.

California: Proposition 2: Halt the Suffering on Factory Farms

This has been the most publicly talked about animal ballot question and has become such a hot-button topic that on October 14th, Oprah had an entire show devoted to discussing the proposition. Proposition 2 calls for egg-laying hens, veal raised calves and pregnant sows to be kept in living areas that allow them enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around and fully extend their limbs.

Currently, these types of animals are kept in crates and pens that only allow them to stand up and lie down with their feet tucked under them. Those that advocate for this proposition state that it will provide basic needs to those animals because being kept in a crate for years without ever being allowed to turn around is cruel, and it will not affect farms that much economically. Those that are against it argue that it will cost farms too much, forcing many farms to close and causing food to become unsafe.

To read the YES argument visit: Yesonprop2.com

To read the NO argument visit: Safecaliforniafood.org

To view Oprah’s show on the topic visit: www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20081008_animals

Massachusetts: Proposition 3: Halt Commercial Dog Racing

Proposition 3, also known as the Greyhound Protection Act, hopes to phase out commercial dog racing in the state of Massachusetts by 2010. Those that advocate for this proposition state that Greyhounds are housed in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around and that about 150 dogs are injured each year. Those that are against this proposition state that it will put over 1,500 workers out of jobs and that the dogs are not inhumanely treated.

To read the YES argument visit: Protectdogs.org

To read the NO arguments visit: Protectdogsandjobs.org

Oklahoma: State Question 742: Right to Hunt, Trap & Fish Wildlife

If passed, State Question 742 will give all people the right to hunt, trap, fish and take game and fish pending reasonable regulation by the Wildlife Conservation Commission. Those that are opposed to this question state that it will prohibit citizen initiatives to protect wildlife by taking the power away from the people and giving it to the state-run wildlife conservation department. Those that are for this question state that it will protect the rights of citizens to hunt, trap and fish by ensuring there are rules and regulations.

You can read the actual text by going to the Oklahoma state government page and searching “question 742.”

For more information on your own state’s questions go to the National Conference of State Legislatures page.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 8:59 am and is filed under Amy Breton, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.