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?
- All hell breaks loose at work, and you don’t leave until too late to go to the polls.
- A medical emergency… yourself, a neighbor, or in the family.
- 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:
- “Ballot in Hand” (#ballotinhand). Sign up NOW for voting absentee/by mail so that your ballot is delivered.
- Return your ballot by hand to an officially designated location (county clerk’s office, ballot collection box, etc.)
- If you cannot return it by hand, mail it via USPS on or before October 20.
- 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.)