One of the first steps of effective advocacy – voter registration

To be an impactful citizen-architect, one needs to be not only an architect (or on their way to becoming an architect), but also an engaged citizen. The most fundamental way to be an engaged citizen is to be registered to vote, and to vote.

Please register to vote and keep your registration updated.  And please vote.  I am not telling you how to vote, but I am encouraging you to be informed, and to be engaged, and to exercise your right to vote.

It may interest you to know that in these days of instantaneous data analytics (and even before that), legislators are keen to know about those who request meetings. They can quickly determine who is (or is not) their constituent, and, whether or not that individual is a registered voter, and if that individual does indeed vote. They cannot tell how you voted, but they can tell if, and when and how often you voted.  Advocacy can be cut off at the knees if the advocate is not a voter. I urge you not to squander an important aspect of your agency.

Are You Registered To Vote?

Some years ago, my firm completed a plan to expand a large high school in the northern suburbs of New York City. When it came time for the community to vote to approve the funding for the project, it passed – by one vote. 

It may be a cliché, but it’s true: Every Vote Counts.

The 2016 election is one of tremendous importance, and your choices start long before November. The presidential primaries allow citizens to determine which candidates will compete in the general election – and they start in just two weeks. Will your vote count?

The AIA wants to ensure that all architects have the opportunity to take part in each step of the political process. To do so, you must be registered to vote – and the AIA is here to help.

The AIA has made the voter registration process easier with the AIA Advocacy Action Center. Voter registration laws differ from state to state, and the Action Center has already figured out the laws in VA. To register, simply log into the Action Center, select “Voter Registration” on the menu on the right and start your application.

After you’ve registered to vote, you can prepare yourself for your state’s primary before heading to the polls. In the coming weeks, the AIA is releasing profiles of the presidential candidates and their views on the issues that impact your practice, profession, and community.

AIA member participation in the political process is critical to advancing policies that help architects get to work designing better buildings and communities. Exercise your Constitutional right and make sure you are registered to vote today!

How you vote is a personal decision – but it is vital that all architects vote. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, the AIA will help you make your voice is heard in the 2016 election. 

Sincerely,

Russell Davidson, FAIA
2016 National President
American Institute of Architects

2013 Officer Slate Announced

Join your colleagues at the Annual Meeting of the Membership of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects. The meeting will take place at the Greater Richmond Convention Center during Architecture Exchange East at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012. During the meeting, the slate of officers for the Society will be placed in nomination.

Albert “Jack” Davis, FAIA
First Vice President/ President-Elect

William E. Evans, AIA
Vice President, Professional Excellence 

Valerie Hassett, AIA
Vice President, Government Advocacy

Robert V. Reis, AIA
Vice President, Communications and Outreach

Eric Keplinger, AIA
Secretary