Great Idea! You might also want to include a reminder for college students who will be living away from home to request their absentee ballots-- or a least print out a copy of the form to request one if they are unsure of their campus mailing address.
National Voter Registration Day is September 17th, which would also be a good time to request that everyone check their voter registration.
When DonOLD Trump started telling his MAGA hoard they didn't need to vote, that he has all the votes he needs, I took it literally and seriously. The republicans aren't planning to win this election at the ballot box. They're following the Stalinist approach: "It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes." They're laying the groundwork for a full-on legal assault by purging voter rolls, challenging voters at the polls, having their minions refuse to certify the election if Trump doesn't win, and filing baseless legal challenges to the outcome.
We ALL need to be ready. Making sure your voter registration is active is hella important.
Try to find out who is on your electoral board. There are over 70 election deniers that have been installed. Their one job is to NOT certify their election results.
There is one other group of individuals and companies that should very concerned. Every election cycle millions are raised by each candidate and party. These funds are spent for advertising, election offices, supplies, people to create ads, memes, social media content, and more. Media like radio and TV stations, newspapers, social media apps, podcasters depend upon the contest of opposing candidates for office for content to create. Since in a fascist state there can be only one outcome will they have anything to say? And if they do say anything it had better be the party line.
So if the outcomes of elections in the future elections will have predetermined winners, then all this expense goes away, These services are no longer required. Election ads will become "Vote for you know who or else!" Will elections become a waste of time, money and effort? Why bother to contribute any money (other that to curry favor with the one and only candidate - a bribe).
So multi party systems of voting enrich all these election support people and companies. If they want to stay in business they need to support democracy and not "Stalinist" voting.
You make a good point, but one, I humbly suggest, that is the least of our problems if this country falls into a fascist cult of personality. To be sure, people with a lot of money to spend influencing campaigns will find themselves out that business, but if we look at, say, Russia, those people find other outlets to peddle their influence.
Hi Jay, thanks for this post! For the heck of it, I checked my registration and had to drill down to the county level to validate my registration. I've been voting since rocks were formed so when the state site couldn't find me, I got nervous. Just wanted to mention this in case others run into a roadblock at the state level.
Your voter registration should be recorded by your state elections board, but some states do that at the country level. Thanks for the important reminder not to give up if you don't find your info on the state site.
Living in a Blue state that has used Vote-By-Mail for years, and a county and state government that believes not only in simple voter registration procedures, but also "Count The Vote", I truly sympathize with others living in less than voting fair-play areas. I support Marc Elias' "Democracy Docket", and so should all of you, as without an armada of election- law attorneys challenging the MAGA Big Steal, we're in trouble.
Well said, Lance! Folks living in red states with all their voter suppression laws are especially in danger of having their valid voter registrations cancelled or challenged at the polls. That's why Prof. Vance's and Jay's advice about checking your voter status and screenshotting the documentation are vital to having your vote count.
Checked my voter registration yesterday. You can't be too careful down here in Republican Dirty Tricks Land. Make sure you check your voter ID, and do it regularly. Screenshot your 'active' status, too. We're within the 90-day window of an election so, presumably, your current status can't be messed with, but DON'T count on it.
Great advice, Jay. I'm really glad Joyce Vance published that article yesterday. Marc Elias of Democracy Docket just won two cases this week brought by the Trump campaign that would have invalidated mail-in voting. TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED!
That's why we should take nothing for granted! Check your voter registration at least weekly from now until the election. It only takes a few minutes, and if there's a problem, you have plenty of time to resolve it.
Thanks for the reminder! I would also like to add that different states have differing rules about how long before an election you must register to vote, so it's best to check your status ASAP in case you need to either re-register or challenge your removal (I'm in Ohio; we must register at least 30 days prior to the election we plan to vote on). And learn about the specific rules, rights, processes, etc., that apply in your state, just in case you shiw up to vote and are somehow not on the rolls. My sister-in-law is a lawyer who has volunteered as a poll watcher in the past, and she dealt with many instances where the poll workers did not follow the law. Sometimes that appeared to be intentional, and sometimes not, but either way, it's a good idea to be educated before you show up at the polls.
The iwillvote.com website includes a voter hotline number which everyone should put in their phones!! In 2020 and 2022 I signed up to take shifts on the hotline for NC. (They train you and provide a searchable handbook for FAQ (e.g., can I still register to vote or change my address, etc) and a reporting system to log more complicated issues that will referred to the official voter protection team. I plan to do it again this year as well as volunteering for a few shifts as a poll observer. Contact your local Democratic party for more info.
I am happy that you’re finally really beginning to focus on this. I truly believe that this election will be won/lost in court, despite what is likely to be a very strong popular vote for Harris/Walz.
I’m actually writing postcards as a Dem volunteer, and my last two cycles have been writing to Florida residents to update their Vote by Mail (VBM) status, as Florida has passed a law that drops VBM voters every year and voters have to register ANNUALLY to vote by mail.
I find the law odd given Florida’s demographics, with many VBM Voters likely to be GOP.
I heard a woman interviewed yesterday saying that she was tired of being afraid and that she was no longer afraid since Kamala took over - like the Obama years she said.
Harris County/Houston,Texas has the second largest population of Black Americans in the US. The Texas Legislsture recently passed a couple of laws that can profoundly affect elections in that county.
First, Gov Abbott eliminated the non partisan Election Administrator position in all couties with populations over 3.5 million on Sept 1, 2023. ONLY Harris County met that criteria. Those duties were handed off to the County Clerk and Tax Assessor.
Second, Abbott signed a law allowing the Texas Secretary of State to toss out the election results if they believe there were problems at 2% of the polling locations in any county with a population over 3.5 million on Sept 1, 2023. Only Harris County/Houston met that criteria. Problems such as temporarily running out of the special paper (even if they're able to restock) used in the new voting machines. There are 1100+ voting precincts in Harris County. Do the math. The Secretary of State can call another election in 30 days, but it will be paid for entirely by the county and that's potentially a $10 millon dollar expense! Remember, Harris County/Houston is the ONLY Texas county affected by this law. And 30 days is pushing hard against the date for the governor of Texas to certify the election.
This paper issue happened once and it was resolved in a timely manner. But that didn't stop every losing GOP candidate from screaming they were robbed and suing. Harris County citizens can vote at any location so it's not THAT big of a deal. Inconvenient for sure, but grounds for nulifying the votes of nearly 2,000,000 people???
Texas has been ruled by the ultra right for 30 years, but Biden damn near won Texas in 2020. You can bet your bottom dollar Greg Abbott and the crooked Texas GOP are working hard to deliver Texas Electoral Votes to Trump even if it means disenfranchising a few million voters.
Jay is right folks. There is election fuckery afoot in Georgia and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is going on in other red or purple states as well. I just checked mine and I’m checking it the day before registration is closed in October.
National Voter Registration Day is Sept 17th. Tht would be a good day to remind everybody you know to register/check their registration status/verify their address on their registration.
I’m gonna make a TikTok about this. We will get the word out everywhere.
Great Idea! You might also want to include a reminder for college students who will be living away from home to request their absentee ballots-- or a least print out a copy of the form to request one if they are unsure of their campus mailing address.
National Voter Registration Day is September 17th, which would also be a good time to request that everyone check their voter registration.
https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/
Edited to add: and while you are at it remind people to check to make sure they are registered at the correct address!!
Also include that people who live abroad can go to Vote From Abroad,
https://www.votefromabroad.org/
or Democrats Abroad
https://www.democratsabroad.org/
to get help registering to vote, or to check what is the best way for them to vote.
You are all over the place, Linda.Jessica and you are speed deamons.
That's a good idea, it's very easy to do but most people wouldn't think of it. Especially if they do vote fairly regularly.
Also to check their polling places. There were a few comments yesterday on Threads that at least Texas had moved theirs.
Thanks, Jess!
Thank you! Too bad the national news outlets aren’t highlighting this 🙄.
Hopefully people will take the time to check.
When DonOLD Trump started telling his MAGA hoard they didn't need to vote, that he has all the votes he needs, I took it literally and seriously. The republicans aren't planning to win this election at the ballot box. They're following the Stalinist approach: "It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes." They're laying the groundwork for a full-on legal assault by purging voter rolls, challenging voters at the polls, having their minions refuse to certify the election if Trump doesn't win, and filing baseless legal challenges to the outcome.
We ALL need to be ready. Making sure your voter registration is active is hella important.
Try to find out who is on your electoral board. There are over 70 election deniers that have been installed. Their one job is to NOT certify their election results.
THIS^^^^^
The only votes Trump feels he needs are six SCOTUS justices favoring some spurious voter fraud lawsuit.
There is one other group of individuals and companies that should very concerned. Every election cycle millions are raised by each candidate and party. These funds are spent for advertising, election offices, supplies, people to create ads, memes, social media content, and more. Media like radio and TV stations, newspapers, social media apps, podcasters depend upon the contest of opposing candidates for office for content to create. Since in a fascist state there can be only one outcome will they have anything to say? And if they do say anything it had better be the party line.
So if the outcomes of elections in the future elections will have predetermined winners, then all this expense goes away, These services are no longer required. Election ads will become "Vote for you know who or else!" Will elections become a waste of time, money and effort? Why bother to contribute any money (other that to curry favor with the one and only candidate - a bribe).
So multi party systems of voting enrich all these election support people and companies. If they want to stay in business they need to support democracy and not "Stalinist" voting.
You make a good point, but one, I humbly suggest, that is the least of our problems if this country falls into a fascist cult of personality. To be sure, people with a lot of money to spend influencing campaigns will find themselves out that business, but if we look at, say, Russia, those people find other outlets to peddle their influence.
Thanks. I checked my registration and it's good. BtW, I love Marc Elias. A warrior for democracy.
He’s in my will!
Hi Jay, thanks for this post! For the heck of it, I checked my registration and had to drill down to the county level to validate my registration. I've been voting since rocks were formed so when the state site couldn't find me, I got nervous. Just wanted to mention this in case others run into a roadblock at the state level.
Your voter registration should be recorded by your state elections board, but some states do that at the country level. Thanks for the important reminder not to give up if you don't find your info on the state site.
Living in a Blue state that has used Vote-By-Mail for years, and a county and state government that believes not only in simple voter registration procedures, but also "Count The Vote", I truly sympathize with others living in less than voting fair-play areas. I support Marc Elias' "Democracy Docket", and so should all of you, as without an armada of election- law attorneys challenging the MAGA Big Steal, we're in trouble.
Democracy Docket bust their asses for all of us.
Well said, Lance! Folks living in red states with all their voter suppression laws are especially in danger of having their valid voter registrations cancelled or challenged at the polls. That's why Prof. Vance's and Jay's advice about checking your voter status and screenshotting the documentation are vital to having your vote count.
Checked my voter registration yesterday. You can't be too careful down here in Republican Dirty Tricks Land. Make sure you check your voter ID, and do it regularly. Screenshot your 'active' status, too. We're within the 90-day window of an election so, presumably, your current status can't be messed with, but DON'T count on it.
Great advice, Jay. I'm really glad Joyce Vance published that article yesterday. Marc Elias of Democracy Docket just won two cases this week brought by the Trump campaign that would have invalidated mail-in voting. TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED!
Several 1000 around the country have been removed in the past 2 days. They aren't abiding by the 90 day rule.
That's why we should take nothing for granted! Check your voter registration at least weekly from now until the election. It only takes a few minutes, and if there's a problem, you have plenty of time to resolve it.
i moved states earlier this year, and successfully registered online after reading this article, using my cellphone, took under 3min.
So sad that people have to even THINK about this.
Thanks for the reminder! I would also like to add that different states have differing rules about how long before an election you must register to vote, so it's best to check your status ASAP in case you need to either re-register or challenge your removal (I'm in Ohio; we must register at least 30 days prior to the election we plan to vote on). And learn about the specific rules, rights, processes, etc., that apply in your state, just in case you shiw up to vote and are somehow not on the rolls. My sister-in-law is a lawyer who has volunteered as a poll watcher in the past, and she dealt with many instances where the poll workers did not follow the law. Sometimes that appeared to be intentional, and sometimes not, but either way, it's a good idea to be educated before you show up at the polls.
The iwillvote.com website includes a voter hotline number which everyone should put in their phones!! In 2020 and 2022 I signed up to take shifts on the hotline for NC. (They train you and provide a searchable handbook for FAQ (e.g., can I still register to vote or change my address, etc) and a reporting system to log more complicated issues that will referred to the official voter protection team. I plan to do it again this year as well as volunteering for a few shifts as a poll observer. Contact your local Democratic party for more info.
Thank you! Just checked in FL and I'm current! Have Chucks & pearls ##iunderstandtheassignment
I am happy that you’re finally really beginning to focus on this. I truly believe that this election will be won/lost in court, despite what is likely to be a very strong popular vote for Harris/Walz.
I shared Joyce Vance's note widely yesterday.
I "restacked" it myself. It's very important that we keep an eye on these things.
I’m actually writing postcards as a Dem volunteer, and my last two cycles have been writing to Florida residents to update their Vote by Mail (VBM) status, as Florida has passed a law that drops VBM voters every year and voters have to register ANNUALLY to vote by mail.
I find the law odd given Florida’s demographics, with many VBM Voters likely to be GOP.
Yeah, I hope it bites them in the butt!
Postcards to Voters has been methocdically making their way through the Democratic voter rolls for all the FL counties.
I heard a woman interviewed yesterday saying that she was tired of being afraid and that she was no longer afraid since Kamala took over - like the Obama years she said.
This is the most important public message of all time.
The billionaires are nervous and will stop at nothing to protect their interests.
Harris County/Houston,Texas has the second largest population of Black Americans in the US. The Texas Legislsture recently passed a couple of laws that can profoundly affect elections in that county.
First, Gov Abbott eliminated the non partisan Election Administrator position in all couties with populations over 3.5 million on Sept 1, 2023. ONLY Harris County met that criteria. Those duties were handed off to the County Clerk and Tax Assessor.
Second, Abbott signed a law allowing the Texas Secretary of State to toss out the election results if they believe there were problems at 2% of the polling locations in any county with a population over 3.5 million on Sept 1, 2023. Only Harris County/Houston met that criteria. Problems such as temporarily running out of the special paper (even if they're able to restock) used in the new voting machines. There are 1100+ voting precincts in Harris County. Do the math. The Secretary of State can call another election in 30 days, but it will be paid for entirely by the county and that's potentially a $10 millon dollar expense! Remember, Harris County/Houston is the ONLY Texas county affected by this law. And 30 days is pushing hard against the date for the governor of Texas to certify the election.
This paper issue happened once and it was resolved in a timely manner. But that didn't stop every losing GOP candidate from screaming they were robbed and suing. Harris County citizens can vote at any location so it's not THAT big of a deal. Inconvenient for sure, but grounds for nulifying the votes of nearly 2,000,000 people???
Texas has been ruled by the ultra right for 30 years, but Biden damn near won Texas in 2020. You can bet your bottom dollar Greg Abbott and the crooked Texas GOP are working hard to deliver Texas Electoral Votes to Trump even if it means disenfranchising a few million voters.
Hopefully that’s on Elias’ radar big time.
Jay is right folks. There is election fuckery afoot in Georgia and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is going on in other red or purple states as well. I just checked mine and I’m checking it the day before registration is closed in October.
National Voter Registration Day is Sept 17th. Tht would be a good day to remind everybody you know to register/check their registration status/verify their address on their registration.
https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/