On Monday, the eve of the Senate run-offs in Georgia, I came across this tweet from writer/director/actor/producer Tyler Perry. It seemed he was having trouble voting in those critical races.
Hey Georgia,
Is anyone else having this problem? I ordered my absentee ballot on December 2nd. I’m told it was mailed on the 4th. I still don’t have it!
Many replies urged Perry to vote in person, as it would now be impossible to vote absentee. Voting rights dynamo Stacey Abrams herself even chimed in:
Hey @tylerperry, we’ve got you. Requested a ballot but haven’t received it? Vote in person on Election Day! Just tell the person at the check-in table that you wish to cancel your ballot & vote in person. Go to https://iwillvote.com to find your assigned polling place.
While I hoped Perry would manage to vote, I also didn’t have particularly high hopes. If he needed an absentee ballot, it seemed likely that it would be impossible for him to get to the polls in person.
So I was delighted yesterday afternoon when VoteRiders posted a video from Perry showing off his Georgia peach-themed “I Voted” sticker. He had indeed made it, and I was impressed at his dedication. A few hours later, I learned Perry had actually flown home to vote in person. Tyler Perry worked his ass off to make sure his vote counted. Let it be an example for all of us in the future.