Actions after Nov. 5
First, we want to thank each of you for all that you are doing to elect Democrats this year, whether that’s phoning, writing letters and postcards, texting, canvassing, donating, talking to friends and neighbors, or supporting in hundreds of other ways.
The work that you are doing has helped build one of the largest coalitions for progress in U.S. history. Our number one priority now is to keep it up all the way through November 5 and secure a clear victory.
At the same time, we want you to know what it may take to defend what we’ve built and ensure that Kamala Harris crosses the finish line on inauguration day, January 20.
Between the election and the inauguration, we can expect to see a blizzard of GOP lies, lawsuits, and MAGA-instigated violence. All of this is now par for the course, and together we’re ready for it. Here are four steps that you can take to get us to the finish line in January:
1 Sign up for a ballot cure phone bank shift, starting November 6
“Ballot curing” is the process of helping voters to correct errors in their mail-in ballots after election day, such as a failure to properly sign and date the ballot. Your ballot cure calls to Democrats can bring in votes that otherwise won’t be counted! You can sign up directly with the Harris-Walz campaign, or for the state of your choice through the links curated by DVC partner Field Team 6.
Harris-Walz Voter Protection phone banks on November 6, 9, 10, 11, and 13
Note: the phone bank times at the link above are listed in Eastern time.
Field Team 6 state-by-state list of ballot cure opportunities
Both in-person (canvassing) and virtual (phone banking) events are available.
2 Learn how to spot and stop election rumors. Don’t forward them, squash them!
Read these two briefing articles and learn the common tactics used to spread misleading election rumors. We can expect to see a wide variety of lies and fabricated videos injected into our social media feeds, and laundered through right-wing media outlets, in an attempt to undermine trust in our elections. Focus on getting your news from media sources that have a history of journalistic integrity.
- What to expect when we’re electing: The 5 moves of misleading election rumors – University of Washington
- These Are the Rumors and Misinformation to Watch for on Election Day – Scientific American
3 Be ready to act
It’s not possible to predict how the MAGA movement will focus its election-denying energies over the next nine weeks, so we need to be nimble and ready to respond. There might be a need for special phone banks, or amplification of messages on social media, or direct phone calls to newspaper editorial offices, or more. Set your personal expectation that even though the holidays are coming up, there will be days when you’ll need to prioritize taking action to support our democracy. The DVC continues to monitor the situation daily and will let you know if there’s a need for special action.
4 Stay determined, stay strong, stay powerful
Modern fascist movements win by using a bag of tricks that we can learn to recognize and resist. They flood information sources with garbage to drown out the truth. They use threats of violence to try to compel obedience. They attempt to create an aura of invincibility to make us doubt our own power and give up in despair. For the next nine weeks and beyond, our job is to stay grounded in the truth that we’re winning, to remember that there are more of us than there are of them and that we have real power, and to stand firm together with hope for a brighter future in the face of their violence.