It's the vote.

The vote is the ultimate weapon for change in this country. It’s democracy’s foundation. That makes your vote extraordinarily important and powerful.

The vote, however, loses its power if left unused.

The PBA, with about 50,000 active and retired members and their families, represents a significant voting bloc. And we have the ability to influence hundreds of thousands of other voters. This is no exaggeration — just our immediate family members would add up to that figure. And the PBA’s electoral influence goes beyond the ballots we cast. Because of the esteem that most police officers are held in and the risks we take every day protecting this great city, many civilian voters look to us to see which candidates we consider the true law-and-order politicians and public officials. Yes, our clout exceeds the number of ballots we cast.

So whom do you vote for? You vote for the person who represents the ideas and qualities important to you. Our political endorsements result from face-to-face discussions between the candidates and our committee on political education (COPE.) The committee members do the spadework for you.

Another thing you can do to keep the PBA a political powerhouse is to spend a few hours a year as a campaign volunteer for PBA-endorsed candidates, distributing flyers or staffing the phone banks in a get-out-the-vote operation. It’s relatively painless, not very time-consuming, and the fruits of those labors are elected officials who are your friends and legislation important to you and your family.

Some PBA-supported legislation recently signed into law

Disability Presumption
Provides protection for police officers exposed to toxic materials as a result of the 9/11 attacks.

9/11 Related Accidental Disability
Establishes that certain persons are presumptively eligible for an accident inability due to the 9/11 terrorists attacks.

Dispute Resolution
Provides two-year extension of the effectiveness of provisions establishing dispute resolution during collective bargaining negotiations.

Agency Shop Fee Salary Deductions
Provides two-year extension of the right of public employee organizations to agency shop fee salary deductions.

Retirement Benefits
Extends the rights of public employees and public employers to negotiate for retirement benefits not requiring approval by the legislature; extends certain temporary benefits, including the heart bill and supplementation programs until July 1, 2007.

Accident Death Benefit
Increases certain special accidental death benefits for surviving spouse and children of certain police and fire personnel.

So the bottom line to you today is to get out and vote. Get involved and keep the New York City PBA an organization to be reckoned with for the future.

Below, the PBA get-out-the-vote poster.