rubynye reblogged
Shamelessly stolen from Facebook.
rubynye reblogged
I still vote
As a blue voter in a perpetually red state, my vote has almost never been aligned with the ultimate outcomes on my ballots. I still vote. I think I can count on one hand the number of times a measure I've voted for has passed (and one of those was the legalization of recreational marijuana--thanks for at least one thing, Missouri!). But I still vote. I see a lot of people out there saying "my vote won't matter!" and it makes me sad, because I've got every reason to say that--my vote has almost never swung my state the way I wanted it to. But I still vote. Every single time, I'm at the polls right when they open to cast my ballot. Every single time, I'm surrounded by people I know are probably voting the other way, their ballots immediately drowning out my own. But I still vote. Why? Why do I do it, if my vote doesn't matter? Because I believe my vote DOES matter. Every time I vote, I'm adding one little number to the dissent column. Every time I vote, I'm making sure the Republicans in my state know they're NOT unopposed, even if the opposition hasn't won out yet. Every time I vote, I'm letting the other blue voters know they're not alone. And every time I vote, I hold onto the hope that enough other people will decide to do it that my vote WILL matter. That one day, enough of us will be out there saying "No, enough!" and we'll tip that balance. That people will stop believing they're just one person in the face of impossible odds and realize that if we ALL show up, we're not one person anymore. I can't control what other people do. But I know if EVERYONE got out there and voted, it WOULD make a difference. So I vote. See you at the polls!
rubynye reblogged
"Need a ride to the polls? The NAACP has you covered!
Use Lyft code #NAACPVOTE24
Valid for two rides up to $20 ($40 total)"
rubynye reblogged
DO NOT GIVE IN TO DEFEATISM!
A quote from the article: "They are also engaged in a data-driven psyop designed to spread a sense of doom among Democrats that the election is slipping away from them."
FUCKING VOTE. ALL IS NOT LOST. IT WILL BE IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP AT THE POLLING STATIONS
rubynye reblogged
Parsimony, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump
As Democrats undergo their quadrennial "why aren't we winning big against this guy?" freakout, a quick thought:
Social science has an informal dictum called "parsimony." Parsimony means that the best explanation is the simplest one that explains the most variance. It might not be a total explanation, but it's the best explanation.
We are in a particularly unparsimonious moment. Pretty much everyone believes that if only Kamala Harris would follow their preferred strategy -- more interviews! fewer interviews! more radical politics! more mainstream politics! -- then she'd be winning big.
If only.
In contrast, let me suggest five core elements of this campaign that have not and cannot change. Accordingly, the dynamics of the race are fairly fixed and fairly close. In five words, these are: woman, color, context, cult, and media.
Woman: Kamala Harris is one. And like it or not, misogyny is a strong thing (as we were reminded in 2016). Lots of people don't think women are or can be leaders/presidents/competent. That isn't likely to change during a presidential race. It's not "fair." It's just true.
Color: Kamala Harris has one that isn't white. Racism is a strong thing (as we are reminded constantly). Lots of people don't think people of color are or can be leaders/presidents/competent. That isn't likely to change during a presidential race. It's not "fair." It's just true.
Context: Fairly or not, the last few years have been "blamed" on Joe Biden. Lots of people have decided that the events of COVID and protests of 2020 (when Donald Trump was president) are Biden's fault since he was *elected* in 2020. Inflation, immigration, and Israel have overwhelmed the stunning number of real accomplishments of the Biden administration. That isn't likely to change during a presidential race. It's not "fair." It's just true.
Cult: Donald Trump leads one. His supporters *believe.* Facts are reinterpreted to fit the narrative. Obvious failures are explained away or outright ignored. Empirical experiences are denied by those who experienced them. None of this is likely to change during a presidential race. It's not "fair." It's just true.
Media: It fundamentally *loves* Donald Trump. Not, notably, because its members support his politics. Rather, most US media is for profit and Donald Trump drives clicks, eyeballs, retweets, whatever. He is an anchor of the attention economy. So long as we pay attention he will dominate attention. None of this is likely to change during a presidential race. It's not "fair." It's just true.
Five core factors don't change with temporary tactics.
What might work? Turnout. Massive turnout favors Democrats. It's about who shows up and votes and election day, not about specific campaign tactics. It always has been.
rubynye reblogged
(This is all for Massachusetts - vote.gov should lead you to information for your own state.)
Today I went to warden and clerk training for the November 7 general election. I asked them to add the URL for checking one's own registration to the polling place signage, and they will, with a QR code!
We will also have extra copies of the Massachusetts Attorney General advisory on the regulations on observing to hand out.
And don't forget to read the ballot questions beforehand, please!
In case you're curious: Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 54: ELECTIONS
rubynye reblogged
Jimmy Got His Wish.
rubynye reblogged
Happy Long Weekend: This is Your Reminder to Review Your Sample Ballot In Advance of the Election
Hello fellow USAians!
It is October 13! The election is just over three weeks away!
I'm assuming you know who you are voting for in the presidential race.
But do you know who you are voting for on the downticket races? Is there a senate race? Who has your vote for congressional representative?
Are there judges, on your ballot? State representatives? Is there a governor's race? Other statewide office? What about local elected officials - what about the school board?
Do you know who the candidates are? Do you know what their qualifications and policy positions are, or, if that information isn't available, can you find information from which you can make reasonable inferences? (But seriously a 10-minute internet search can provide invaluable information.)
If there is an office where multiple seats are open (usually portrayed on the ballot as "vote for up to X"), is there a strategy to try to keep someone particularly bad out, or get someone particularly good in? (Whether that's a your own thoughtful voting choice (god), you + your friends/acquaintances/book club (better), or an organized local strategy (best)).
Are there ballot measures/state constitutional amendments/etc on your ballot? Do you know what they are? Have you read them? Have you taken a glance to see what subject matter experts/stakeholders/advocates/activists/etc think on the subject?
Please take the time to review your sample ballot before it's time to vote, so you can make informed choices in your downballot votes - where very low number of votes can often make a real difference.
rubynye reblogged
Republicans can't win without threatening and committing violence.
January 6th-like insurrections and election tampering will happen in states all across the country this time.
Don't let her down!
All hands on deck. Eyes on the prize.
rubynye reblogged
“Just as likely they’re really just planning on a post-election legal challenge in any or all of those states, claiming that the Democrats stole the election. You can certainly bet they’ll do it in Pennsylvania and Georgia where they are already plotting with local officials. Trump himself has said repeatedly that “our primary focus is not to get out the vote, it is to make sure they don’t cheat.” If they can find a way to throw the election to the House, as they wanted to do in 2020, they will win, and I kind of suspect that Trump would actually prefer to do it that way. It’s the ultimate power play to make the Democrats lose through a post-election ploy that’s engineered by Trump and his cronies. In his twisted mind, I think that would even validate his Big Lie.”
—
Even before President Biden dropped out, I knew this was the plan. It’s been obvious to anyone paying attention that Shitler isn’t running a campaign to persuade voters, but is laying the groundwork for his next coup.
I sure hope the government, the Democrats, and the 80 million of us who aren’t voting for him and his dystopian agenda are prepared to leave it all on the field to ensure he doesn’t get away with it this time.
Note: If it gets thrown to the House, it will be the newly constituted House that we all vote for in November, not the current one. Which makes it even more important that we vote blue up and down the ticket. Check your registration. Make a plan to vote. Talk to your friends and family and get them to vote. Volunteer to work the polls or drive people to vote, if you have the ability for it. If we want a better government, we have to be better citizens.
Source: salon.com
rubynye reblogged
Exactly this. 2016 was a lock, remember? Hillary was absolutely going to win. 99.5% chance according to everyone. Until...
We can't let that happen again. We have to make sure this time. We have to vote in extraordinary numbers. We have to convince people who aren't voters to show up and vote this time.
Take nothing for granted.
rubynye reblogged
CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION!
If you arrive and discover you've been marked inactive, and they don't offer to reactivate you, DEMAND to be re-activated on the spot.
I clerked for my city's primary elections yesterday and had a turnout of 111 plus early voters (those were processed at City Hall). My inspectors promptly sent inactive voters over to me for re-activation. I reactivated about a dozen inactive voters who had been deactivated May 7th of this year for not returning their city census - about half of them never remembered receiving it and the other half swore they had sent it back. I also had two wrong addresses and five or so people who had requested a mail-in ballot and not sent it back.
Vote.org is a reasonable place to check but do NOT let them keep your personal information as apparently scammers can then get it.
I invited the sign-holders (all politely standing at the 150-foot line) to leave their signs behind and come observe us close the polls, and they all did.
Massachusetts results if anyone is interested:
rubynye reblogged
"I live in a red state my vote doesn't ma-"
If your vote didn't matter they wouldn't try so hard to make it harder to vote in red states. Voting in red states can turn them into swing states like Georgia, Ohio, and Arizona. And voting in blue states can keep them from becoming swing states.
California used to be Red. Texas was Blue long ago. Florida was once a swing state. Obama took Indiana but it's gone redder since. Ten years ago Arizona and Georgia going blue was unthinkable.
Things change and we can make them change.
And that's before getting into more local elections. Turning cities blue, the state legislature.
Red states have flipped blue in recent years at those levels too.
Because people vote, and if we vote in high enough numbers we can turn a tight election into a walk in the park. If we vote in high enough numbers, we can turn a loss into a win. So many good things have happened in states where someone won by like 100 votes. (arizona is one)
You know why we lose elections? Because old people vote and young people don't. If millennials and zoomers would just Pokémon Go to the polls, this would be so easy.
Also, let's say you're right. Let's say that there is absolutely no chance in a million years that your state, as a whole, will go blue. You might still be able to flip your congressional district blue, or your state representative. You might be able to prevent a Moms for Liberty candidate from getting elected to the school board, or a white supremacist sheriff. You could see that the moderate conservative gets elected to city council instead of the far-right whackjob. And those positions actually have a lot more to do with your daily life than the President. It matters. It all matters.
LISTEN!!!!
All of Arizona is blue right now.
ALL OF IT.
Governor, federal senator, federal representatives. (And Sinema, but everyone hates her. I believe this year she gets replaced, and rest in fucking PIECES to that MAGAlite.)
When I moved here, we were solid red.
That was in 2011.
VOTE!!!!!!!
It matters!!!!
#I live in fucking Kansas #we have a democratic governor #we made abortion protected in our constitution #most red states are not as red as you think but you need to fucking show up
We have a democrat running for state senate rn for a seat with NO INCUMBENT (the republican formerly holding it is retiring) and he's specifically running in the best way he can - the flyers he's sending to EVERYONE focus on "corrupt extremists" and the fact he's a veteran, but the flyers he's giving to the registered democrats focus on his desire to push LGBTQ rights, Abortion rights, taxing the rich, providing better for low-income families, etc.
I'm pulling for him so hard, I think if he does even a quarter of what he's pitching, he'll be a good (and young and fresh) voice in the state legislature. He started his pitch, when he came to our front door, by saying Kansas is not as red as people might think, and I immediately agreed, because it ISN'T. Most red states aren't.
But you gotta show up to your local and state elections.
rubynye reblogged
With fewer than 100 days until Election Day, the deadline for Texas voters to register is quickly approaching. Lone Star State residents still have until Monday, Oct. 7 to register to vote.
But in case you’re wondering if you can register to vote online in Texas, there’s something very important to know. You can’t actually register to vote online.
Although you can click on “Voter Registration” on the VoteTexas.org and Texas.gov sites — and even add your information to a form — you are not registering to vote. While these sites fill out voter registration forms for a voter, users must still print out their registration and either take it to or mail it to their local registrar’s office.
The issue was highlighted in a viral TikTok video uploaded by Texas hairstylist Adrienne Quinn Martin, who uses her platform to promote equality and justice to over 50,000 followers. The video, as seen in this story, shows Martin going through the VoteTexas.org “voter registration” process and being met with a small prompt to then print out the form and take it to a registrar’s office.
“This is a voter suppression trick,” said Martin in the video. “Every other form [on the site] you can hit “Submit” and the form goes through. Why would [a voter] think that they need to print anything out?”
rubynye reblogged
I can never tell which of my posts are going to explode (it is never ones I put work in) but I pray to God this one does
The past few weeks I have seen an explosion in doomerism and defeatism about Trump. Some people seem to have just decided to call the election for him for reasons that don't even make much sense
(He was almost shot and that always helps! Look at Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt! Reagan was already president and incredibly popular, and the shooting happened 2 months into his first term; Roosevelt was shot when he was campaigning in 1912....in an election he lost)
Trump has never been popular, he has never won the popular vote, and he has never had popular support. For the past 3 years, especially post Roe V. Wade, Democrats have increasingly overperformed especially in special elections. There were so many polls predicting 2022 would be a Red Wave, that turned out to be false due to faulty and biased polling. I'm not saying a Dem loss is impossible, but it is a lot less of a sure thing than the doomsayers are making it out to be
How does Trump win? Apathy. Despair. Low Turn Out. While many of the "Trump is guaranteed to win" posters I'm sure are real people who are justifiably scared, I think we underestimate just how many are people at home and abroad, who want a lower turnout, who want Trump to win.
I used to hear a joke growing up that "If voting did anything, they would make it illegal" Well considering how hard Republicans are trying to discourage voting and making it hard to do, it must do something.
Don't despair. Don't panic. Don't retreat. ACT
So what can you do?
- Are you registered to vote? 🗳
- You can register to vote here! ☑️
- Do you know what/ who will be on your ballot? 📄
- Do you know your state voting requirements? 📥
- Do you know your polling location? 📍
- Can you vote early? 🖊
- Can you vote by mail? 📬
- Do you need disability services for voting? ♿️
- Do you need to know your voter’s rights? 🧑🏽⚖️
- Do you need a ride to register/ vote?
Spread this far and wide. Tell your friends and your family. Make clear to them what is at stake if Trump wins.
Additionally, here are two volunteer organizations that I help out with
Vote Forward - write letters to encourage turnout
Working Family's Party - an organization working to help progressives win in primaries and general elections. I particularly like working in their text bank program. Want to help in a phone bank but don't like talking on the phone? this is perfect as you send texts to encourage support and voting