Take Action Pussyhat Style

November is coming.

In 2016, about 100 million people eligible to vote didn’t use their power. To put it in perspective: about 66 million voted for Clinton and 63 million voted for Trump. (source:https://brilliantmaps.com/did-not-vote/.)

Even fewer are expected to vote at these midterm elections. This means that every single vote on November 6 counts even more.

In the next 35 days, we can…

REGISTER TO VOTE and MAKE SURE OTHERS ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE, TOO. Voter suppression laws have gotten stronger in recent years, so even if you voted in the last election, make sure everything is good to go. Go to www.vote.org and make sure that you are registered. It only takes two minutes.

SCHEDULE THE TIME TO VOTE. Mark November 6 in your calendar. Make time to get to the polls. Try to go as early as you can. If you cannot make the time that Tuesday, find out about early voting in your area and absentee ballot specifics. Vote.org can help with that, too!

PREPARE YOUR VOTE (YOU CAN EVEN MAKE IT A PARTY!). I’m in California and the ballot is xx pages long. I’m getting together with friends to talk about candidates and referendum issues so I am prepared when I go in to cast my ballot. Print out a sample ballot and fill it in to bring with you. There are elections on the local, state and national level. All of them are important. Remember, even if you don’t like any candidate for a position, someone will win, so pick the person you dislike the least.

BE A VOTING BUDDY. Some people have a work out buddy, why not a voting buddy or buddies? Remind each other to vote. Go to the polls together. Offer a ride, if you can.

CAMPAIGN FOR A CANDIDATE YOU SUPPORT. Contact a candidate you think is or would be a great leader. Get in touch with her headquarters. There are so many types of ways to get involved— canvassing, texting, housing volunteers, writing postcards, etc.

CREATE A PUSSYHAT POLITICAL CIRCLE. A Pussyhat is a gift from one women’s rights supporter to another. It is an act of kindness, and often self-care, and is one way to take part. As you talk about politics, watch hearings, follow the news overall, remember you can create a symbol of support for another supporter. Stay tuned..

AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE..

It has been a gut-wrenching 10 days. As a new mother, I look at my 11-week-old son and think, we must do better.

Dr. Blasey Ford gives me hope. All of the protestors in DC and in Senators’ home offices and in airports give me hope. We deserve leaders with integrity and character who will represent us, respect us, and fight for us.

And we need to elect them into office on November 6.

In solidarity.

Jayna