July The Vote

Post Elections (2021)

• October 4 Gerrymandering is in full swing as states face the once-in-a-decade redistricting process. In Texas, the legislature draws and passes new maps, and there is already evidence of partisan and racist motivation in drawing maps that favor those in power. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green, both black members from historically minority districts in Houston, will be pitted against each other if the proposed maps are passed. That's just one situation. Learn more about the breakdown from Texas Tribune: bit.ly/3a74xLq
• August 6 56 years ago today, President LBJ enacted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which prohibited racial discrimination in elections by abolishing literacy tests, poll taxes, and outlawing racial gerrymandering. This bill has decayed over the decades, making it ever so necessary to pass the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act in Congress. Learn more and take action: bit.ly/3flg4tM
• July 13 State legislators walked out of the Texas Capitol yesterday to board private jets to DC in an effort to break quorum (again!) and prevent the legislature from passing a voter suppression bill. They forfeited their salary and are now risking their fugitive arrest by standing up for democracy: bit.ly/3e6yXzW
• June 19 Today is Juneteenth, a celebration of when the last enslaved people in the US were freed from centuries of bondage. This took place two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued because news about their freedom was withheld by white masters. Disenfranchisement like this continued throughout history and is still seen today. Congress' For The People Act is a first step to bring fairness, representation, and justice to POC. Call or email the White House to urge President Biden to support HR1: bit.ly/3cSSMKv
• May 10 Attacks on voting rights have continued to be pushed in state legislatures at unprecedented rates. Last Saturday, marked as John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Day, thousands marched and lobbied in opposition of voter suppression. Lookup your state and congressional legislators to send an email or phone call in support of voting rights: bit.ly/3w5F9ir
• March 26 Yesterday, Georgia enacted an omnibus voter suppression bill that makes it more difficult for already marginalized communities to voice their vote. Similar bills are being discussed in state legislatures across the country, including HB6 and SB7 in Texas. Democracy is under attack, and all the 2020 social justice and election organizing will be lost if these bills are enacted.

Runoff Elections (2020)

• January 4 Tomorrow is Election Day in Georgia for their runoff US Senate elections which will determine the partisanship of Congress. Have a friend from Georgia? Encourage them to vote and invite their friends.
• December 14 Today is the first day of early voting in Georgia for their runoff US Senate elections. Have a friend from Georgia? Let them know! Make sure to check what runoff elections are happening in your community too.
• December 1 Did you know there are runoff elections possibly happening in your community? In Georgia, there are two US Senate runoff elections that will determine the partisan control of Congress. There is one week left to register to vote in Georgia, so text a friend and let them know!

October Messages (2020)

• November 3 Today is the day! As long as someone is in line when polls close, they have the full right to vote. Demand a provisional ballot if there is a problem with your registration. The election protection hotline is 866-OUR-VOTE. Know your rights bit.ly/2TNFi8W
• November 2 Tomorrow is the last chance to vote, so don't rely on your judgement: text your friends directly to ensure they will vote. Scroll through your contact list and your social media friends.
• November 1 You've made it this far, so why stop now? Text your friends directly to ensure they will vote. Scroll through your contact list and your social media friends. This is the most effective way to get out the vote!
• October 31 More than 90 million Americans have already cast ballots, setting records for early voter turnout across the country, especially among young voters. There are still 3 more days until the election is over, so go through your contact list and ensure your friends have made a plan to vote (no more mailing ballots–dropoff instead!)
• October 27 If you or your friends will be voting by mail, TODAY is the day to return your ballot to ensure it will be counted in time. Some states provide the option to dropoff your ballot in-person, so use that option if you can. Election Day is just one week away, but the election is not in one week: the election is happening now!
• October 24 60% of people voted on election day in 2018 (source: US Census Bureau). Many people are turned away on election days or have to wait in hours-long lines. Don't wait until Nov 3, the stakes are too high! Have you made a plan to vote early? Have your friends?
• October 17 We are 17 days away from Election Day, so make a plan to vote early! When voting in-person, your state may require you to have a photo ID from a specific list of documents. When voting by mail, there may also be strict identification requirements. Lookup your state's voter ID laws at bit.ly/357Q531
• October 10 Many states are already sending absentee ballots to voters, and in-person early voting takes place this month for many states. Lookup your state's early voting dates and mark your calendar with a plan to vote. Make sure you determine your transportation and verify that you have an acceptable voter ID. Use plantwovote.com to ensure you are all set. Tell a friend about your voting plan and discuss theirs too!
• October 3 We are now one month away from Election Day. Knowing who to vote for is just as important as making a voting plan. Sample ballots allow voters to preview who will be on their ballot. View your curated sample ballot at bit.ly/3mUh8Hh

Civic Week of Action (2020)

• September 27 Thank you for participating in the HS Civic Week of Action. Keep the momentum going and get out the vote this election! I will be sending a couple messages in October to remind you of important dates and information. Don't forget that people must be registered before the state-specific deadline!
• September 26 People are far more likely to vote if someone they know encourages them to, a concept known as relational organizing. Posting on social media can definitely spread the word, but having a conversation with a friend could actually get them out to vote. On an iPhone, you can click here to use an SMS template to get started: plantwovote.com/sms
• September 25 Check out Gerry Posts, an online website I created that allows you to design a social media graphic using the Ugly Gerry font made from congressional districts. Create one and share it to spread the word about unfair gerrymandering and the importance of voting cameronsamuels.com/gerry
• September 24 Voting by mail is an accessible and convenient way to vote, and it is also a no-risk method of voting during this pandemic. However, 92,000 mail ballots were tossed in 2016 due to mismatched signatures according to the Election Assistance Commission, raising concerns about disenfranchisement. Make sure your signature matches the one on record! You have also probably heard the chatter about the USPS and security of mail-in ballots, but did you know you may be able to drop-off your ballot in-person to ensure it gets counted? bit.ly/3iRVAsk
• September 23 Making a voting plan is crucial to prepare yourself for taking the time and effort to vote. You can use the "Plan Two Vote" interactive checklist I created to make your voting plan in just two minutes plantwovote.com
• September 22 Today is National Voter Registration Day! You have probably heard the phrase "register to vote" thrown around recently, but have you been asked to verify your registration? Ensure that your registration is active with your current legal name and residential address, and encourage your friends to do the same bit.ly/32Mpys4
• September 21 The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably presented problems that could affect the election this year, and one of them is with election clerks. Pew Research found that the majority of poll workers in 2016 were above the age of 60, meaning there will likely be a shortage this year due to health concerns. If polling stations are understaffed, they will have long wait times or be forced to close. Becoming a Student Election Clerk is a great way for people under the age of 18 to help in the democratic process (and most of the time it's paid!). Get started at bit.ly/3cjO1Iy
• September 20 Hello everyone! We are now within 45 days of the election, and there is so much we need to do before then. Get you and your friends ready to vote by staying tuned this week for a Civic Week of Action.

July The Vote (2020)

• August 1 Relational organizing is a highly effective organizing style that consists of reaching out to people you know to get them registered to vote and to make a voting plan. Now take this challenge: set a goal for how many voters you want to get out this election. July The Vote will return in September for a check-in on your goal and a continuation of messages relating to important dates and information.
• July 31 In the 2017 election for a Virginia House seat, the vote was tied and therefore decided by a random selection from a bowl. Not only did the incumbent win, but the house remained 51-49 with a Republican majority. Every vote makes a difference and has the power to flip an entire government. You can view a list of worldwide tied/close elections on Wikipedia at bit.ly/3fjoNd3
• July 30 Youth turnout in Texas for voters aged 18-30 was up by more than 500% in the 2018 election compared to the last midterm election in 2014 according to the Houston Chronicle. Similar trends were present in other states as well. However, youth turnout has not been high in recent decades. Learn why from Tufts at bit.ly/3f64Ypw
• July 29 The 2018 election was the first time since 1982 that a midterm election turned out more than 50% of the voting age population. Learn from the Census Bureau about the demographics of the increased voters at bit.ly/31KpfOx
• July 28 Only 55% of the voting-age population voted in 2016, ranking the United States 26 in voter turnout among 32 countries in the OECD. Find and share today's infographic at cameronsamuels.com/july, and learn more from Pew Research at pewrsr.ch/2P25Lxh
• July 27 Voting is mandatory in roughly 1 in 10 countries through a concept called compulsory voting that aims to increase participation in democracy. While it does increase voter turnout, it is often not enforced. Some say it legitimizes the outcome to represent everyone, but others point out that random or uninformed votes increase. Learn more from the International IDEA at bit.ly/3hHgrxE
• July 26 Automatic voter registration has voter rolls continuously updated or added to when people interact with government agencies such as the DMV when issuing a driver's license. Because data becomes digital, this saves money, paper, and time, and it increases accuracy and accessibility. Learn more from the Brennan Center at bit.ly/2WV6DI4
• July 25 The voting age varies by country, and there are several that allow citizens to vote at age 16 and 17. You can learn more from BatchGeo at bit.ly/3eZudKb. What do you think about voting before the age of 18? Submit a response and see what others in July The Vote think about the voting age at cameronsamuels.com/july/25
• July 24 The voting age was historically 21 until young people spoke out and took action throughout the 20th century, leading to the passage of the 26th amendment that lowered the age to 18. Learn more from the History Channel at bit.ly/30Mu5bB
• July 23 Did you know you can pre-register to vote as early as 16-years-old? Find and share today's infographic at cameronsamuels.com/july, and lookup your state's pre-registration age requirement at bit.ly/voterprereg
• July 22 Ugly Gerry is a font created by congressional districts. You can download the font to use, or you can share it to promote the absurdity of gerrymandering. Check it out at bit.ly/3g4fFKJ and follow their Twitter @uglygerry
• July 21 The ReDistricting Game is a fun and interactive 5-level game that you can play to educate yourself on gerrymandering. You will learn about population equality among districts, partisan and bipartisan gerrymandering, the voting rights act, and reforming the redistricting process. Start playing now at bit.ly/32H8bte and make sure to check out the other resources on their website.
• July 20 Gerrymandering often consists of districts that span across multiple cities, or districts that encompass distinct changes in population density (rural and urban), racial composition, or income levels. Just think: can one person adequately represent the needs of everyone in the district? Check out the "Atlas of Redistricting" by FiveThirtyEight which allows you to see the racial composition of each district, understand the partisan politics behind current districts, and play around with hypothetical redistricting 53eig.ht/2CMdixb
• July 19 State legislatures are responsible for redistricting in 35 states, providing a large potential for incumbent politicians to benefit themselves over the people they represent. Independent commissions that draw the lines of political districts without influence from the greedy interests of legislators could be a solution. However, opposition to these commissions include the inability to hold them accountable as you cannot "vote them out" if they misbehave. Learn more from Ballotpedia at bit.ly/3hdq3zM
• July 18 The task of redistricting is up to or appointed by state legislatures following the completion of the census taken at the beginning of each decade (i.e. this year!). There are many different concepts and methods to consider when redrawing these districts, and we must understand them before diving deeper into the problems and solutions of gerrymandering. Learn from Ballotpedia about redistricting at bit.ly/2Wxs2ah
• July 17 A concept called "gerrymandering" allows politicians to choose their voters, making it harder for voters to choose their politicians. The term "Gerry-mander" was coined by the Boston Gazette in a satirical cartoon when MA Governor Elbridge Gerry redistricted the state senate in 1812 to benefit the Democratic-Republican Party, in which a district resembled a mythical salamander. Modern-day gerrymandering to benefit a specific party occurs in so many places across the country, and it is a cruel form of voter suppression that devalues the voices of democracy. Find and share today's infographic at cameronsamuels.com/july, and learn more from RepresentUs at bit.ly/2ZExiuQ
• July 16 More than 15 million eligible voters did not vote in 2016 because they did not have transportation to the polls. Among these are the elderly, people of different abilities, and people without personal transportation. As part of their LyftUp campaign, the rideshare service Lyft is offering free and discounted rides to the polls this year, expanding upon their 2018 campaign. Learn more from their blog post at lft.to/3eCa64k, and search up the partnering organizations to support them.
• July 15 The voting eligible population includes 35 million people with disabilities (AAPD), but only 40% of polling places accommodate people of different abilities (ACLU). This week is the AAPD's National Disability Voter Registration Week, and you can learn more about their voting campaign at bit.ly/3iMCHay
• July 14 America is changing, and the electoral college does not have the same effect anymore. Out of the last three presidents (Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush), Obama was the only one to win the popular vote. Check out this Instagram post by So You Want To Talk About that discusses the Electoral College bit.ly/2ZpNvDY — Minor retraction/clarification: George W. Bush lost the popular vote in 2000 but won the popular vote in 2004.
• July 13 Elections take place to fill many different positions of public office. Among these are representatives and senators who take office at either a federal or state level to create and enact legislation. Lookup your congressional representative (by address) at bit.ly/3fipnsp and your senators (by state) at bit.ly/3egW1Ju (hint: your representative is up for reelection this November, and this may also be the case for your senators)
• July 12 Elections are not just a one-time event that takes place in November. A single election cycle could include many elections. Find today's infographic at cameronsamuels.com/july to learn the common types of elections, and visit vote.org/election-reminders to receive updates on elections in your area.
• July 11 Many blue collar workers are unable to vote on Election Day due to their work shifts, discouraging voter participation among people who may in turn become even more disadvantaged without their voice being heard. Although making Election Day a federal holiday produces many benefits, it also presents issues stemming from the root of the problem. Read this brief summary about Election Day and compare the pros and cons at bit.ly/3fw9i28
• July 10 Absentee ballots allow people to vote without being present at an in-person polling center. All states provide mail-in ballots upon request, but some require an excuse. There are many advantages to offering mail-in voting, but there are a couple considerations to account for as well. Learn about and check your state's rules regarding absentee ballots from NCSL at bit.ly/2BVcfei
• July 9 In 2018, 40% of people casted their ballots before Election Day via alternate voting methods, according to the US Census Bureau. Let's break down the advantages of voting early. Find and share today's infographic at cameronsamuels.com/july
• July 8 Online voter registration can save time during busy working schedules and encourage voter participation. Unfortunately, 11 states do not offer online registration despite it being more secure and cost efficient. In Arizona, each paper registration costs 83 cents while online registration is just 3 cents each. Learn more from NCSL at bit.ly/3iIPL0s and check out their additional resources.
• July 7 22 million Americans (11%) do not have any government-issued photo ID, which a select few ID's are required to vote in many states. Learn more with this fact sheet from ACLU at bit.ly/31DhEB7 and read this article by the Washington Post about personal experiences in 2016 at wapo.st/2ZE6Ksm
• July 6 Voter suppression takes many forms, and it immensely affects the outcome of elections by unjustly disenfranchising Americans. This infographic will teach you the basics, so check it out and share at cameronsamuels.com/july. You can learn more from ACLU at bit.ly/3gjuhFL
• July 5 Take a look at this article from USA Today that discusses the historical and ongoing suppression of Black Americans in government and voting (there is no infographic today) bit.ly/3gknmMf
• July 4 Happy Fourth! Although most Americans take pride in our ability to self-govern, many overlook the centuries-long disenfranchisement of BIPOC that leaves them underrepresented in places such as voting and government. If you identify as white, reflect upon how your voice may be heard above others in these spaces and how you can change this on an individual level.
• July 3 Did you know voters must be registered to vote before a state-specific deadline? Find your deadline at vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines
• July 1-2 Thanks for joining July The Vote! Each day this month, an infographic or resource will be sent out. We'll learn about voter suppression, alternate ways to vote, elected government, gerrymandering, teen civic engagement, and ending the month with voter turnout. I encourage you each day to post the infographics on your social media story and take at least 10 minutes to read into and utilize the resources. Hope you enjoy! Text @julyvote to 81010 to receive the daily messages.
• About July The Vote was created by Cameron Samuels for the RAC Teen Justice Fellowship and Civic Engagement Campaign. Check out the GitHub Source Code for the website.