Cast your vote on the new START Treaty

In April the United States and Russia signed the new START Treaty reducing each country's nuclear weapons arsenals. For the new treaty to take effect, the Senate has to ratify. This vote may come later this year. However, you can cast your vote in favor or opposition to the new START Treaty in a live poll at Newsvine.com.

The new START Treaty lowers U.S. and Russian strategic, or long-range nuclear weapons, down to 1550 a piece. The Moscow Treaty of 2002 set a limit of between 1700-2200 of these weapons. The latest Moscow Treaty report showed "The number of U.S. operationally deployed strategic nuclear warheads was 1,968 as of December 31, 2009." The new START Treaty also limits delivery vehicles of nuclear weapons. Read more about the treaty here.

Here is a brief summary of the treaty from the White House:

Strategic Offensive Reductions: Under the Treaty, the U.S. and Russia will be limited to significantly fewer strategic arms within seven years from the date the Treaty enters into force. Each Party has the flexibility to determine for itself the structure of its strategic forces within the aggregate limits of the Treaty. These limits are based on a rigorous analysis conducted by Department of Defense planners in support of the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review.

Aggregate limits:

1,550 warheads. Warheads on deployed ICBMs and deployed SLBMs count toward this limit and each deployed heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments counts as one warhead toward this limit. This limit is 74% lower than the limit of the 1991 START Treaty and 30% lower than the deployed strategic warhead limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty.

A combined limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments.

A separate limit of 700 deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments. This limit is less than half the corresponding strategic nuclear delivery vehicle limit of the START Treaty.

To vote in the poll visit Newsvine.com. The live poll asks "Are you in favor of the U.S. ratifying the new START Treaty?" and provides three choices (yes, no or undecided).