Constitution Day and informed voting

The League of Women Voters (LWV) commemorated Constitution Day on Sept. 17 by giving out pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution and sharing voter resources. "The foundational first three words of the Preamble to the Constitution – "We the People" – affirm that our government is founded with our input and participation in mind," LWV volunteer Dave Vollrath said from his table at the Johnson County Public Library. "It is a reminder how critical it is that each of us registers to vote, goes to the polls and encourage others to do the same." Vollrath gave out pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution and shared voting resources to help citizens learn more about candidates and the issues on the ballot. Vollrath reminded people to make sure they are registered in Tennessee by visiting the GoVoteTN.gov website and shared details about making a voting plan and helping others get out to vote, with resources for that at VOTE411.org. Vollrath is passionate about getting out the vote and being an engaged citizen in Northeast Tennessee, telling the story of women getting their right to vote enshrined in 1920. "Tennessee was the final deciding state that needed to ratify the amendment to allow women to vote, and it came down to one individual who had said he was probably going to vote against it, but his mother sent him a note to say he should be a good boy and give women the right to vote, and that changed his mind, and so it was very close, but it came down to that decision." This November, Tennessee has three state constitutional amendments on the ballot. "One about property taxes at the state level, one about bail and which crimes qualify for it, as opposed to other crimes where a judge can declare there's no bail allowed, and then one about victims' rights in the process of adjudicating a crime, so we have an educational program coming up next month in October, where we will review the arguments for and against each of those constitutional amendments," Vollrath said. Vollrath said every vote matters, especially in a recent district vote in a nearby county where one write-in vote decided an election. In the United States, Sept. 17 is commemorated as Constitution Day, honoring the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. It is also celebrated as Citizenship Day, when we recognize our right to vote and responsibilities as citizens. The League of Women Voters welcomes volunteers. Those interested in getting involved in the Northeast TN chapter can visit LWV-NETN.org, where you can sign up for a newsletter and find out more about educational programs. The LWV has a YouTube channel under the name League of Women Voters of Northeast Tennessee. The voter registration deadline for this year's election is Monday, Oct. 5. Early voting is Wednesday, Oct. 14, to Thursday, Oct. 29. The absentee ballot request deadline is Saturday, Oct. 24. The state and federal general election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.