10 days of action to protect democracy: action 2

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The Issue

Voter registration and voting day requirements are incredibly confusing and can be stressful. Thousands of eligible voters were unable to register for the 2016 election due to nuanced registration requirements (i.e. 90,000 eligible New York voters were unable to participate in the 2016 election because their registration forms were not received in time), and many more are turned away at the polls for lack of proper documentation such as photo ID (note - the definition of "photo ID" varies state by state which is a major cause of mass confusion, watch to learn more). 

What We Can Do

Action 1: Check Yourself

• Confirm you are registered to vote here.
• Check your state's early voting schedule here.
• Considering a mail-in ballot? Specific requirements that vary state by state determine if your mail-in vote is likely to be counted or discarded. Check requirements here and make an informed decision if mail-in voting is right for you.
• Confirm your polling place here.
• Make sure you have what is required on voting day here.
• Create a calendar invite for yourself on the day you plan to vote that includes your polling place and items you are required to bring such as a photo ID - add anyone you know to the invite who lives in your district. 

Action 2: Check Your Community (email template below):

• People are three times more likely to act on something if it comes recommended by someone they know. Check in on your family and friends to make sure they are set for registration day.
• Reach out to your networks to ensure they are properly registered and equipped with the knowledge they need to show up on voting day. Think co-workers, professional groups, alumni groups, neighborhood list serves/Facebook groups/NextDoor, church, etc.
• Students are historically one of the most disenfranchised voting groups, and the pandemic forcing students to change addresses multiple times in a year only adds to the obstacles. If you have connections to student groups (sororities, fraternities, sports groups, FCA, religious groups, groups you may be able to reach through alumni connections) reach out to make sure they have the tools to show up on election day.

Email Template: 

Dear _______,

We are officially less than 50 days from the 2020 election, and it is crucial that every vote is counted. Please take five minutes today to check your voter registration status and ensure you have everything needed for election day. I have included a checklist below and suggest creating a calendar invite on the day you plan to vote that includes your polling place location and any IDs/documents required. 

• Confirm you are registered to vote here.
• Check your state's early voting schedule here.
• Considering a mail-in ballot? Specific requirements that vary state by state determine if your mail-in vote is likely to be counted or discarded. Check requirements here and make an informed decision if mail-in voting is right for you.
• Confirm your polling place here.
• Make sure you have what is required on voting day here.
• Create a calendar invite for yourself on the day you plan to vote that includes your polling place and items you are required to bring such as a photo ID - add anyone you know to the invite who lives in your district. 

Thank you for taking time to go through this checklist and please feel free to forward to any family and friends!