July 29, 2020
Moving forward with AMWA’s partnership with Drexel University College of Medicine’s Vision 2020: National Women’s Equality Initiative, it’s crucial all voters are given adequate accessibility to exercise their voting rights. Medical students are in a unique position to ensure this occurs by volunteering to be poll workers in the upcoming election.
Given the nature of the pandemic, those over 65 years of age are at significant risk of contracting severe illness from COVID. Unfortunately, this was the largest group of poll workers in the country. To create a safe environment for onsite voting, AMWA is encouraging our lower risk members to volunteer to be poll workers. AMWA’s medical student division is one of the largest groups of medical students in the country and are uniquely qualified to fill the need for poll workers.
Participation directly at the polls can also motivate students to encourage their peers to partake in voting and make a difference in their communities.
As we progress into the upcoming election, it’s crucial that each and everyone has the opportunity and accessibility to vote. Since medical students have a significant impact on voting, AMWA asks that medical students be offered the opportunity to volunteer on Tuesday, November 3rd as an excused absence from their educational requirements.
Allowing students to request time-off to vote or volunteer to be poll workers, will provide direct opportunities to prevent the spread of COVID for more at risk groups. .
AMWA Advocacy Committee
Submitted by: Neha Singh and Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD Advocacy Chair
