#voting registration

[athenaholmesartistsguild]

If you need another reason to vote:

Last week (September 13th, 2022), Senator Lindsay Graham introduced a bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

While Republican members of congress are hesitant to endorse said bill, the vibe is mostly that they're worried it'll affect midterms.

This is not good! While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has claimed he believes abortion laws should be left to the states, he'll likely be the one deciding if this abortion ban goes to vote in Congress. We have no idea if he'll refuse to bring this bill to the voting floor.

Other Republicans have stayed quiet about whether or not they'd support a federal abortion ban. Republicans that initially had a staunch anti-abortion stance are now back-tracking saying they're against all abortion except those that threaten the life of the pregnant person, cases of rape, or cases of incest.

Pretty much every Republican is repeating this line, suggesting that this is a decision to win over voters, not their actual beliefs.

What's most likely going to happen is Republicans are going to denounce Graham's bill until abortion is no longer as widely talked about as it is now.

And if they have majorities in both the House and Senate, they can pass this bill before any of us can even do anything.

So what can we do?

Right now, we need to vote, vote, vote.

Here's a list of all the voter registration deadlines by state. Many states require you to register to vote 3-4 weeks before election day. That means you'll need to register to vote by the beginning of October.

If you will be 18 by election day, you can register to vote!!!!

This is the case in pretty much every state, but check the above link to see your state's laws.

Vote.org is a great resource to register to vote, view your registration status, send in a mail ballot, find drop-box locations or your polling place, and even get a breakdown of voting laws in your country.

They also have a countdown timer to election day and will send you election day reminders by text if you opt in.

But Dems don't Do anything! Why should I vote for them?

Look, I see you and I completely understand your anger and pain. When democrats suddenly started introducing abortion protections after Roe was overturned, I was pissed. I even stopped donating to the DNC (and I still haven't donated since). I didn't want to hear about their anger and sadness at this shocking turn of events.

But doing nothing is just going to ensure Conservatives win elections again and again. The more democrats there are in office, the more progressive legislation can be introduced.

So organize your protests and take to the streets. Protesting is just as valuable a source of change as voting.

But don't just stop voting altogether.

What if I can't get to the polls?

If your state allows absentee voting, you can request a mail ballot here.

If you don't have a car and need to vote in person, RideShare2Vote offers free round trip rides to polling locations on election day. You can even volunteer to be a driver on election day if you have your own car.

If you have to work on election day, check here to see if your state has time off to vote laws. Some states require advance notice of an intention to vote and may even provide PTO for a few hours while you're voting. Again. This varies by state, so use the handy drop-down menu to see the laws in your state. Some states will fine or even revoke a company's corporate charter if they deny an employee the right to vote, so use your rights, dammit!

Also consider speaking with your manager or employer to see if you can arrange your work schedule so you have time to vote. You just need to be in line before the polls close, whether that's a minute or an hour before. You have the right to vote even if the polls close while you're in line. Anyone who tries to deny you the right to vote despite this is committing a serious crime.

The best advice I can give is to make a plan now! If you have your transportation and time off from work planned, you'll be able to vote with a little less stress.

What if I'm disabled and have trouble voting?

According to NPR, "83% of polling places posed at least one impediment for voters with disabilities". A little less than 40% of polling locations aren't equipped to let disabled people cast their votes privately (y'know. One of the core rights citizens have?).

If you're unsure whether or not your polling place is accessible, or if you've had trouble voting in the past, find your polling place and local election office, and contact your election office. They may be able to let you vote curbside, or mail in a ballot. This can vary by location so finding this out in advance can be helpful.

Remember, it's your right to vote. If you're having trouble with accessibility at a polling place, contact your election office so you can receive accommodations.

You should also know that you have the right to use any equipment to help you vote, even if it hasn't been offered to you. So make those requests if you're voting at a machine or in-person. And make sure you take your time. If you feel rushed, remind the poll workers that voting is a right everyone is reserved, regardless of how convenient it is for others.

If you need assistance while voting, you're allowed to bring one person with you. They can be anyone except a union rep or your boss. Poll workers are also required to assist you if you're struggling to vote.

Poll workers may question your ability or right to vote if you have a mental disability. This is absolutely disgusting and if this happens, stand firm. If your name is on the roster, you can vote, regardless of the poll worker's opinions on the matter.

But unfortunately, you might need to receive legal advice on your rights while voting. Check the National Disability Rights Network to find an agency near you that can assist you.

If you're already at the polls and you're experiencing trouble, call 866-OUR-VOTE for on-demand legal help from a lawyer. If you need assistance and you're deaf or hard of hearing, there's a video call option if you call 301-818-VOTE

But what if I can't wait in a long line due to my disability?

Fun fact! If you have a disability that makes it difficult or impossible to stand in long lines, you have the right to be moved to the front of the line. And don't be embarrassed if you have to ask for this accommodation. Your personal health is important and you don't have to sacrifice it just to vote.

If the polling location is just not accessible, call your local election office or speak with the poll supervisor. It doesn't matter if it takes 5 minutes or 8 hours for you to vote, you have the right to cast your ballot, even if the polls close, so don't. Leave!

Below is a list of sources I used in this post along with voting resources linked above. I figure it would be easier to put them in one place rather than only scattered through the post:

Lindsay Graham introduces abortion ban

Republican reactions to Graham's bill

Voter Registration Deadlines

When Can You Register to Vote?

Request a mail ballot

Time Off to Vote laws

What if the polls close while I'm in line?

Voting with a disability

Polling place locator

Find your local election office

Disability Rights Network

Election protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE

Video-call hotline: 301-818-VOTE

[ryouverua]

For all american voters out there, you should check if you're registered to vote and this site will let you do that! So please make sure you're ready for when the midterms roll around!

[whenweallvote]

A lot has happened since we last celebrated National Voter Registration Day: 

🏠 People moved, changed their name, turned 18, or attained citizenship

🗳️ Individuals who were previously incarcerated may now be eligible to vote

❌ And it’s possible some of us may have been “purged” from the voting rolls

👉 So don’t wait — visit weall.vote/check to check your registration!

[263adder]

Don't Lose Your Vote! UK Edition

A snap general election could be called any day. This will be the first general election that requires photo ID if you vote at the polls (postal votes 📫 are unaffected by the Election Act 2022).

If you don't have an approved form of identification (list here), you can apply for a FREE voter ID photo card. Find out more below or use these 5 minutes to register and get your ID sorted instead ❎ because, and this is important to know, the government really doesn't want young people to vote.

The Explanation

Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party, may call a snap election in 2023. (A snap election is a vote brought in earlier ⏱ than the one that’s scheduled 🕐) The UK’s next general election (for MPs and the PM) is meant to happen between December 2024 and January 2025.

A snap election happens in as little as 25 days 😨 between the announcement (aka the PM asking the House of Commons’ to approve the dissolution of Parliament) and the vote 🏃‍♀️

You must be registered to vote - currently over 8 million people are not. Unlike other a democratic countries, the UK doesn’t automatically register all eligible voters. You have to do this yourself. Here’s a quick reminder of how to register:

Over the past 15 years, it has gotten harder for British citizens to vote:

Families can no longer register to vote as a household 🏡 so young voters must register themselves (Cameron Govt)

Colleges and universities are barred from registering students 👨‍🎓 (Cameron Govt)

The Elections Act requires photo ID 🤳 for anyone voting in person (Johnson Govt)

Local elections (for city and town governments) in 2023 were the first votes that required VOTER ID. According to the Electoral Commission, over 14,000 people were turned away from the polls because they had not heard about the change.

The House of Lords tried to amend the Elections Act before it passed, to include more common types of ID, such as bank statements, bills, student ID, library cards and much more. This amendment was struck down in the House of Commons. A lot of the IDs included in the approved list are more likely to be owned by older voters than younger ones. For example, a 60+ Oyster Card is acceptable ID but an 18+ Oyster Card is not.

Here’s the important thing to know: voters who don’t have a driving licence or passport or other approved forms of ID, can apply for a free voter ID photo card. Watch the video below to find out how!

And finally, please, for the love of our democracy, vote.

"Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles." Abbie Hoffman

[reasonsforhope]

"Colorado is poised to be the first state to to expand automatic voter registration to Native American reservations, thanks to a new registration system.

Tribal members have the right to vote in elections, from the local to the national level, just like other U.S. citizens. But actually casting a ballot has been an uphill battle for many tribal residents, including those here in Colorado. Even after obtaining official U.S. citizenship a century ago, Native Americans’ ability to vote has been consistently ignored or actively undermined. In recent decades, unequal access to in-person voting, early voting and election funding on tribal lands has been a particular issue...

Working with Colorado tribes, state lawmakers passed a set of election reforms earlier this year to expand voting access for Native Americans. Those reforms include the nation’s first automatic voter registration program of its kind for Native Americans. The program will cover both of the federally-recognized Native American reservations in the state—the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and will allow the tribes’ governments to submit lists of members to be registered through the Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office.

Griswold said the new registration system could make a big difference for Colorado's tribal communities.

"Seeing registration rates and turnout rates being much, much lower on tribal lands is a big problem that we want to solve,” Griswold said. “I personally believe automatic voter registration is one of the best ways to register voters in the state of Colorado, and all of our data shows how highly effective it is.”

Colorado is one of more than two dozen states that have automatic voter registration systems, but Colorado is the only state so far to extend its system to cover Native American reservations. When Colorado rolled out its system for the first time in 2020, about 250,000 people were added to the state’s voter rolls within the first year.

Now, [Secretary of State] Griswold hopes the new registration program will have a similar effect on tribal lands in the state. She wants to see the program in place in time for the 2024 election. For now, tribal leadership is reviewing the plan and providing feedback on it.

“It will not take us much time to register people once we start receiving data,” Griswold told KUNC. “But I think there's a couple of logistics to still work through.”

Measures to keep tribal members' information confidential were added recently at the request of the Southern Ute tribe, and lawmakers have also increased the number of on-reservation vote centers available for early voting and on Election Day.

This year’s election reforms also build on a slew of changes in recent years. For example, in 2019 Colorado lawmakers guaranteed in-person voting centers on tribal lands and loosened address requirements for voters."

-via GoodGoodGood, December 15, 2023

[mishacollins]

I usually ignore "National [Fill-in-the-blank] Days,” but today happens to be two of the most important out of the year. Today is National Pudding Day and National Voter Registration Day.

So… go check your voter registration status RIGHT NOW and then to celebrate, eat some creamy white stuff!

https://bit.ly/GoVoteMC

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[dduane]

Doing my thing, as usual.

[newyorkthegoldenage]

A window card from 1920, proclaiming that a newly-enfranchised woman had registered to vote.

Photo: NYC Municipal Archives

[hamletthedane]

Really enjoying @frodo-of-the-nine-fingers liveblogging her red white & royal blue viewing experience to me

[action]

🗳️ REGISTER TO VOTE HERE 🗳️

[mimi-0007]

[whenweallvote]

Winter is coming…and all the holiday to-do’s have entered the chat! ❄️🎁☕

Comment below how YOU plan to spread some holiday cheer this month (besides checking your voter registration at weall.vote/check of course 😉)

[presidentjbiden]

The Idea of America | Biden-Harris 2024

[cat-cosplay]

Quick Reminder if you need to update anything.

It's National Voter Registration Day 

[expelliarmus]