August 21, 2024 - 75 Days To Go
Ways we can help get out the vote
THE CONVENTION IS HERE!
Today marks the third day of the Democratic National Convention! We can find the official schedule here and watch through the DNC's own feed here. Speakers tonight include V.P. nominee Tim Walz who delivers his acceptance speech, preceded by former President Bill Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. While we watch, let's be sure to check out volunteer opportunities with the Democrats and sign up here!
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN GEORGIA TO SIGN UP FOR NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS
The latest campaign from BlueWave Postcards is to encourage voters in Georgia to sign up for no-excuse absentee ballots. With past reports of long voting lines, especially in black neighborhoods and a host of other barriers, voting absentee is one way to make sure your vote is counted. This can also sway low-propensity voters to have their voices heard. We can sign up to order postcards here.
PHONEBANKING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
The Biden Administration has made serious programs towards transitioning our nation to clean energy. Legislation and regulations since January 2021 are set to save us from at least 5 billion tons of cumulative greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, and we’ve installed more solar power since Biden took office than in all the years before his inauguration combined. There’s plenty more to be done, and we need to give Kamala Harris the chance to do it. Environmental groups are running multiple phonebanks into key states in the coming days to help turn out voters. We can sign up for shifts on August 20th, August 23rd, August 26th, August 27th or August 29th.
GOTV WITH LETTERS
Too shy to canvass or phone bank? There are other ways to get out the vote. Vote Forward, which runs campaigns to increase voter turnout via letter-writing, currently has 27 active campaigns all over the country. We can adopt as many voters from any campaign as we are able, download ready-made letters, personalize them, and send them out. It is necessary to pay for postage. A great GOTV activity to do alone or with friends and family. We can sign up for an account and get started right away here.
DEMAND FAIR MEDIA COVERAGE OF ELECTIONS
The Media and Democracy Project is demanding major changes in press coverage of the 2024 election including abandoning the “horse race” mentality and pushing coverage based on issues that matter to voters, rather than clickbait headlines. An open letter has been signed by more than 3,000 prominent journalists and academics, calling for these changes, as well as demanding the press to “abandon false equivalence between traditional and fascistic candidates; expose candidates who foment political violence; and call out lies and bad behavior in every piece of reporting.” We can sign this letter here and donate here to this worthy organization. We can also encourage others to sign by circulating this link on social media.
Hi, I'm Brian and I co-founded the Media and Democracy Project. Thanks so much for promoting MAD's effort to demand that our major newsrooms improve their election coverage!