Yesterday we got a frantic text from a friend: “Is there anything we can do about the Supreme Court, Trump threatening not to transfer power, etc.? What can we blue state folks do?”
It’s a serious question, fit for serious and scary times. With a few weeks to go before Election Day, it feels like things are crazy and out of our hands, particularly if you live in a deep-blue state, far from the “battleground” action.
But fear not — you can make a difference! Here, we provide 4 ideas here for how you can help safeguard our democracy down the home stretch:
1. Arm the lawyers for battle
The GOP is clearly going to challenge Democratic wins this year — but Democracy Docket is up for the brawl. DD is the nerve center for Democrats' efforts to safeguard the integrity of the 2020 election. Learn more about the legal fight in this New Yorker article; read about DD’s activities (and get involved, if you’re a lawyer) on their website, and donate to DD using the link below.
2. Staff the polls
Turnout is key for Dems this year, and likely to hit record levels. But many elderly folks who staff the polls may stay home due to safety concerns. If you feel safe and can spare the time, be a poll worker in your local community. You can also support the fabulous work of Poll Hero (NPR coverage here), which is recruiting young people as poll workers, by forwarding info about them to folks you know.
3. Win the Senate
We may not be able to do much about the open Supreme Court seat, but winning the Senate would bring the GOP’s Federal court-packing to a grinding halt and start a return to balance and normalcy. We identified three Dem candidates for whom your support would be particularly high-impact in these final weeks: the races are tight in terms of polls and dollars, and they’re all in states that are critical in the Presidential election as well. Read our full analysis here.
4. Hold the House (and win up-ballot)
The House hasn’t gotten as much attention from Dems this year — but that’s a mistake. GOTV in key Congressional districts can deliver “up-ballot” for Senate candidates and in the Electoral College, and also solidify our long-term hold on the lower chamber. We found 9 high-impact races with “triple word score” opportunities that would get a huge boost from your donation in down the home stretch. Read our full analysis here.
Art via ACLU of Mississippi.