5 Easy Ways to Make a Difference This Election!

The midterm elections are less than a week away and, as you well know, there’s a lot on the line this November. 

Powerful reforms to engage more voters and improve representation are on the ballot, but they’ll only be pushed over the finish line come election day if there is a concerted effort to spread awareness and get out the vote! 

So, with much at stake, we’ve put together a guide that highlights five easy ways that you can make a difference this election. 

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1. REMEMBER TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 8TH

As Abraham Lincoln famously stated, “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” The moral of the story is: Don’t be the person sitting on blisters!

It's important to get out and VOTE this November election. Here are a few tips to help make voting easier.

• Take advantage of early voting! Early voting is already well underway across our nation, with many states offering early in-person voting. You may have received a vote-at-home ballot — if you plan to use it, make sure it’s postmarked by the day required by your state. Unsure of whether your state offers early voting? Check out vote.org’s state-by-state early voting guide to learn more!
• Locate your polling place ahead of time. Polling locations change, and yours might not be where you voted last time. Check out the status of where you’re supposed to vote (and remember to double-check closer to voting time) at your county election official’s website or look it up here. And, don’t forget to take note of the hours your polls are open!
  
  
• Figure out if you need ID. In some states, all voters have to present ID. But what you’ll need to bring varies by state. Sometimes drastically. You can check your state’s ID requirements here.

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2. CALLING ALL NEVADANS — VOTE YES ON  QUESTION 3

This one is BIG. Nevada’s pivotal Question 3 ballot measure —opening up Nevada primaries to all voters — is on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment. If approved on Tuesday, it would advance a powerful Alaska-style reform: nonpartisan primary system + ranked choice general elections, which that would give power back to the voters and, subsequently, allow the 600,000 unaffiliated Nevadan voters the right to vote in future primary elections. (The measure would have to pass a second time in 2024 to become law.)

Advocates are working tirelessly to educate Nevadans to vote “YES” to Question 3 on election day, and you can help their efforts in the following ways:

• Call or email your friends in Nevada to let them know why voting “YES” on Question 3 is important to you. Then, encourage them to share their support and keep the advocacy chain going by emailing or calling their contacts, as well!
  
  
• Promote Question 3 on your social media! Follow YES on Question 3 NV on Facebook and Twitter and update your profile picture to show support! You can also further enhance your online support by downloading one of the many shareable graphics to promote on your social media educating voters about Question 3 and adding it to your personal accounts by clicking here!  
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3. RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR — TELL YOUR FRIENDS

For the first time in our nation’s history, we will see the highest-ever number of states, cities, and municipalities with ranked choice voting on the ballot — including Nevada, Evanston IL, Ojai CA, Portland OR, Seattle WA, Fort Collins CO, and numerous other jurisdictions!

This is a HUGE deal. Why? Because election reforms like ranked choice voting gives power back to millions of voters who are currently not being represented by our current election system.

How can you help these efforts? The easiest way to support passing ranked choice ballot measures is a.) find out whether it's on your ballot this November and b.) VOTE for these measures. Check out FairVote’s Ranked Choice Ballot Voter Guide to educate yourself and, better yet, pass it along to your friends and family, too!  

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4. LOVE TO CHAT? VOLUNTEER AT A PHONE BANK

Are you someone who loves to talk on the phone and is passionate about advocating for nonpartisan election reforms? If so, volunteering at a phone bank is the perfect opportunity for you!  

Here are two volunteer phone banks focused on educating voters about election reform ballot measures that need your help:

• Nevada phone banking opportunities. Help get out the vote for ranked choice voting by phone banking with Vote YES on 3 NV every weekday from 5-8 PM PST (8-11 PM EST)! Rank the Vote is helping facilitate these daily virtual phone banking opportunities, which can be joined via Zoom by clicking this link!
  
  
• Push ranked choice voting over the finish line in Fort Collins, Colorado, by participating in an upcoming phone bank on Thursday, November 3rd, at 6PM EST! All you have to do is sign up on RepresentUs’ website, sit behind your computer, and speak with voters about the importance of passing ranked choice voting!
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5. SEND A THANK YOU TO AN ELECTION WORKER

November 7th is Election Hero Day so don’t forget to thank your local election workers for their heroic efforts to protect our democracy.

Protect Our Election is coordinating a nationwide effort to thank these public servants for their tireless work and would love your help. To join the “Thank Our Election Officials” initiative, check out Protect our Election’s toolkit, which includes postcard templates, letter scripts, social media sample language, opportunities to organize events in your community, and ideas for homemade art projects and recipes!

Let’s make sure our election workers are appreciated this November!