Gotv - Blog Posts
If you live in the United States, can legally vote, and have not already done so, please vote on November 8, 2022. Specifically, vote for people who are not fascists, who will support everyone’s bodily autonomy, and who believe that LGBTQ+ people deserve rights.
If you need voting information and can’t find it yourself, call or email your local library. They will probably have everything handy (because you are almost certainly not the only person with questions), but they will find it for you if necessary! The only thing they won’t tell you is whom to vote for.
Some states will allow you to register at the polls if you are not already registered. Even if you can’t register for this election, do it now so you’re ready for the next one.
Reminder: tomorrow’s Election Day. If you haven’t voted, take a moment to look up the voting centers near you and hours of operation
Some states mandate time off to allow employees to vote. Some don’t. If your state does, be firm in your right to take time to vote if you cannot any other time
Don’t let those self-righteous old fascist fucks get comfortable. Even if you think there’s no chance, make ‘em sweat
You have the right to vote safely! If you have been avoiding registering to vote in the US due to domestic violence or threat of violence, please check out the resources for your state. In Wisconsin, this includes threats to someone in your household, as well as yourself and your child/ward.
[image description: a tweet by user @indigenousAI saying
“fun fact: as a DV survivor i cannot register to vote because doing so makes my address public. anyone who is fleeing or hiding from an abuser is automatically disenfranchised from the political process and this is a feature, not a bug”]
Vote in every election, for every position! Some really horrible racist and anti-LGBTQ+ groups are getting power on school boards, library boards, city councils, and other local legislative bodies. One of the reasons they can do it is because it doesn’t take many votes to get them in office. Once they’re in, they can start supporting book bans, curriculum changes, anti-trans measures, and more.
Finding out who you want to vote for takes time, and it can be hard at the local level, but it’s incredibly important. If you can, register to vote by mail so that you have more time to look at your ballot and research the candidates. If not, try to find ballot information online or see if your local paper runs any information about the candidates. If you need help, ask at your local library! (You don’t have to tell them how you plan to vote, just ask for help finding out who is on the ballot.)
Collect up the junk mail that candidates send out. Some of them share mailers, so figuring out one of them will give you an idea on the others. Contact organizations that you approve of and find out who they support. If you’re really desperate, contact organizations that you don’t approve of and find out who they support, so you know who to vote against.
Start learning the dog whistles and warning signs. “Parental rights” is starting to mean “the right to say what other people’s kids can read and learn.” Moms for Liberty wants the liberty to deny the existence of LGBTQ+ people.
It’s “just one more vote” the same way a tough journey is “just one more step.”
Tell your senators to follow the precedent Mitch McConnell set in 2016 and wait until after the inauguration to select a new Supreme Court Justice.
Vote. Vote your entire ballot. Vote to protect yourself, your family and friends, your community, and your country. Yes, it’s that important.
People need to fully understand what RGB’s death means. It’s not just a vacancy on the supreme court that could be potentially filled by a conservative Justice - that’s an awful thought, but that’s not the main problem.
The problem, is that this is EXACTLY the opportunity Republicans have been looking for for decades. If a conservative nominee is pushed through before the election, and I’m hoping it won’t but if it does, that will lead to a Republican majority in the Supreme Court. And you can bet your life, literally, that they will work to roll back every progressive law they can.
The concept of a separation of church and state is already a joke in this country, but it will get so much worse.
But more than that? Even if a nominee isn’t pushed through…
The vacancy RGB left behind will motivate Republicans to come out to vote in droves.
THAT is what everyone needs to understand. This is a once in a life time opportunity for the Republicans. You think you don’t want to vote for Biden because he’s not exactly who you want? Because he’s not progressive enough or liberal enough?
What about all the Republicans who may not support Trump, but want a Republican majority on the Supreme Court? The ones who may not like him, but would be willing to deal with him for four more years if it means controlling the Supreme Court for the next 40?
It’s awful and unfortunate that RGB died so close to the election. Throughout her life she worked tirelessly to fight for equality. Don’t let her life be in vain.
Now more than ever, it’s important to vote. Everyone. Down the entire ballot.
I’m lucky enough to live in California, a historically Blue state. But those of my followers who live in Red states, you especially need to call your representatives in the Senate and tell them to postpone any nomination. Cite Mitch McConnell’s own actions in 2016. Anything you can do to add pressure. Remind them who they really work for: you, their constituents.
We cannot give up the fight. We can’t. Your vote matters. If it didn’t, why would the GOP be trying so hard to take it away? Make sure you’re registered. If you want to mail in your ballot then drop it off at designated polling stations instead of the post office to ensure it’s counted in time.
I don’t have many followers so I don’t know who will see this, but please, reblog this. Spread the information. RBG’s death will galvanize Republicans out to vote en masse. We can’t afford to be apathetic or disenfranchised. We can make a difference, but not if we don’t bother to try.
@one-time-i-dreamt @thebibliosphere
Seriously, if you live in the US, make a plan NOW so that you are ready to vote.
Make sure you are registered to vote. Many states are “cleaning up” voter rolls, so double-check.
Decide what you are willing to compromise on and what is a deal-breaker for you. You probably won’t find someone who is a perfect fit, but you can definitely find candidates that are better or worse.
If you aren’t sure whether voting in person will be safe for you by November, find out what you need to do to vote by mail. Check your state and local requirements for voting by mail or voting early (when it might be less crowded) if you can’t vote by mail. You may need to request the ballot in advance or send in some form of identification. Some areas require a witness’ signature on mail-in ballots, which can be hard if you’re are quarantined alone. Some areas require mail-in ballots to be received or postmarked by a certain date; some have drop-off locations in addition to accepting ballots by mail. Make a plan NOW so you are ready by November.
While you are voting for (or against) a presidential candidate, remember to look at the rest of your ballot! Even if you aren’t voting for a presidential candidate, look at the rest of the ballot! The president has a lot of power, but the senators and representatives can do a lot to support or block the president. Your state, county, city, and other local governments can also have a big impact on your life. Most of their decisions will have an immediate effect on you. Plus, in many cases, this is where presidents and congress-critters get started. If you don’t like the choices at the top level, start changing the people closer to you.
Every vote counts! Yes, even at the presidential level. However, the farther down the ballot you go, the more your vote is going to count. This applies even more on local primaries and elections that don’t affect national positions. The pool of voters is smaller in local elections, and many people who can vote won’t bother. Take a little time to find out as much as you can about your local candidates, and vote for the ones who support most of your values.
It’s easier to take time to check out candidates and issues if you are voting by mail. However, even if you are voting on election day, you can frequently see what is on the ballot in advance, so you can do your research. Make sure you understand those awkwardly worded (”Do you support removing the proposition that opposes...?”) questions and convoluted propositions, so that you’re voting for what you really want.
Plan ahead and vote!
Yo Biden just announced an infrastructure devolopment/clean energy/environmental justice plan and it's honesty pretty fucking amazing and much more ambitious than I ever would have expected from him, goddamn. He's trying to Eisenhower/New Deal our way out of the economic collapse.
Some notable points addressed by this plan:
Expanding American railway systems
Fixing the crumbling roads, bridges, dams, etc. that haven't been kept up
Capping abandoned oil wells
Undoing Trump's financial bailout policies for unclean energy companies
Reinvesting in American-made automotive companies
Getting America to 100% clean energy by 2035
Fixing air, water, and ground pollution issues that disproportionately affect poc
Getting justice for victims of environmental racism
Reinstating a bunch of environmental and medical jobs Trump had cut
Getting the US back on the Paris Agreement/Climate Accord