The 2020 election is the most consequential election in your lifetime, and arguably the most consequential in the history of this nation.

What could cause you to fail to vote on election day?

1. All hell breaks loose at work, and you don’t leave until too late to go to the polls.
2. A medical emergency… yourself, a neighbor, or in the family.
3. It’s terrible weather out, and the line outside looks to be a couple hours long.

Anything else?

Here’s some realities…

• You find out too late that you have been taken off the voter rolls.
• Your polling place has been closed, so your options include not voting, or traveling further than you expected to another polling place
• Armed “patriots” show up at your voting place

We (Five Friends) are advocating a couple of actions:

1. “Ballot in Hand”  (#ballotinhand).  Sign up NOW for voting absentee/by mail so that your ballot is delivered.
2. Return your ballot by hand to an officially designated location (county clerk’s office, ballot collection box, etc.)
3. If you cannot return it by hand, mail it via USPS on or before October 20.
4. Document each step along the way. Your vote may be one of many ballots not counted.

Document your efforts to vote by writing notes, including the date/time and by taking screen shots for when you requested your ballot.  There is multiple evidence that this year will be the worst yet for both intentional voter suppression and unintentional (i.e. coronavirus fears shutting down polling places).

Get your ballot in your hand and get it back safely so it’s counted.  

Here’s a link for requesting an absentee ballot.  (Note that some states, such as Texas, have strict limitations on who may request voting by mail.)

https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/

What could possibly go wrong?

The Election is on November 3.  What could possibly go wrong?

One thing that could go wrong is that Trump is “re-elected” in a free and fair election.

Something else that could go drastically wrong is that Trump “wins” in a election fraught with irregularities and legal challenges.

Many of us see Trump remaining in office as an absolute disaster for this country.

As the polls keep showing, Trump is behind.  

As his ego keeps displaying, he can’t stand not winning or proclaiming himself “the best.”  How do you think he’s doing with the prospect of losing the election?

Trump’s best chance at being re-elected is for anything less than a free and fair election.  The further the election gets from free and fair, the better it is from Trump.

There are several disturbing elements at play here, all of which could lead to Trump “winning.”

Voter Suppression

• Kicking people off the voter rolls
• Voter ID rules
• Closing polling places in areas that lean strongly Democratic.

Electoral disruption

What will the weather be like on November 3?  Will there be severe weather conditions that keep people away from the polls?

How bad will the coronavirus pandemic be?  Will voters be worried about becoming infected from voting…from standing in line, possibly for hours?  Will poll workers refuse to show up, fearing being exposed to COVID-19?

What would a desperate narcissist do to “win” an election?  

Would Trump use the border guard to create Portland-style chaos in the streets?

Will Trump encourage armed followers to “protect” polling places in the same way they took over the Michigan state capitol building?

Be ready – Be prepared – Vote early.  Make sure your vote counts by voting as early as possible.  Don’t leave the fate of your vote up to the whims of the weather, coronavirus or Trump.

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Get involved!  

1. Make sure you are proactively defending your vote.
2. Make sure your friends vote, too.  Email them and express your concerns.
3. Recruit others to join us.

Start here: https://fivefriends.org/start-here/