Six reasons and resources to vote
Content Care Package Vol. 31 (Election Edition…yes NY Matters)
This election is consequential for many reasons: climate, reproductive rights, gun protections, and determining our next Supreme Court. We know many are on the fence about voting, or feeling apathetic. While we understand the frustrations, we've just returned from a trip where we met with the Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable and civil rights elders, like 94-year-old Dr. John Perkins. The experience reaffirmed how critical it is to vote—not just for president, but up and down every ballot, and for every single election.
As the late civil rights leader Congressman John Lewis said:
“Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.”
Here are six reasons and resources to vote (including in NY, where reproductive health is on the ballot).
YES, New Yorkers, your vote ACTUALLY DOES MATTER. Let us repeat, NEW YORK VOTES MATTER. Did you know abortion is on the ballot? Proposition 1 will enshrine abortion in the New York Constitution, meaning it cannot be overturned. Let us be the France of America, people (when it comes to abortion). Abortion rights for the Empire State! Learn more here.
YES, New Yorkers, your vote ACTUALLY DOES MATTER…PART 2. Vote NO on Propositions 2 through 6, which would give Eric Adams—hater of the Elizabeth Street Garden and public libraries (somehow the least of his many offenses)—unbridled power. The NY ACLU explains why here, noting “the proposals would upend the separation of powers...and empower the Mayor and agencies, like the NYPD, to derail the legislative process.”
For those not in NY, find out if you’re registered and VOTE EARLY. Early voting in New York is October 26 through November 3, so get it out of the way and then volunteer to make calls, knock on doors (also this), or get people to the polls. Find state-by-state early voting info here.
Local races are often overlooked, but go to Lead Locally and support climate candidates from Texas to Pennsylvania.
For those in NYC, click here to find some of the candidates on your ballot.
And if you’re looking for extra work, volunteer to become a Poll Worker. Poll workers are aging out. We love this WSJ article on teens stepping in, just to end on some uplifting news.
And lastly, order a copy of MOTHER TONGUE Issue 7, out today. They focus on motherhood, art, reproductive health, and democracy. Their VOTER/MOTHER shirt goes to I AM A VOTER.
If you have voting rights resources we should share, email us at democracy@thenumber29.com.