Plus, as Litman says, these elections are often super close. “Races will come down to one or 10 or a few dozen votes,” she explains. “These margins are so small that if you stay home, you could be the deciding factor between a win and a loss.”
Your first step? Figure out who’s on the ballot by reading your local newspaper, Googling, or through an automatic sample ballot generator like this one. It can direct you to sites showing where the candidates stand on issues you really care about. Next, reach out to your preferred contender’s office directly, suggests Litman, to see what type of volunteer opportunities are available. If you don’t feel entirely comfortable cold-calling strangers or ringing random doorbells to talk about political issues, that’s totally fine, she notes. “Maybe they need help stuffing envelopes, dropping off yard signs, cleaning the bathroom at their field office, or setting up snacks at an event,” Litman explains. “You, as a volunteer, are one of their most precious resources.”
Consider giving your time to an organization that protects democracy in general.
You can also align with certain groups, rather than candidates, that encourage people to vote or help keep the democratic process smooth and fair. This includes Rock the Vote; Free Speech for People, a non-profit, advocacy group for voting rights; and Election Protection, a nonprofit org that fights voter suppression by offering folks a hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) to call with Qs about registration deadlines, absentee or mail-in ballot requests, and more. Baker says she once used it when a poll worker on ballot day told her that she wasn’t registered. Election Protection figured it out ASAP: She was just at the wrong site. And if you don’t feel politically savvy enough to be this kind of a resource, don’t worry, Baker says: “You don’t need a PhD in political science. They help train you.” (Here’s how to volunteer!) Baker says being a poll worker on election day is another impactful role. Here’s how to sign up.
Donating time or money (more on that in a sec—trust us, it doesn’t have to be much!) to your local political party chapter versus the national one is another great option, Baker says. “I’d rather give money to a local chapter who is actually getting yard signs to people, or giving bagels to pollsters working all day,” she explains. “That’s the local chapter buying water bottles, not the national party.”
If you can swing it, make microdonations at the local level.
While you don’t have to empty your savings account, Litman says that a little money—perhaps what you’d pay for a single morning coffee—can actually make a sizable mark in local races. “You could be one of their biggest donors with five or 10 bucks,” she says. “It can be a really big deal to a state and local candidate for you to give what you can.”
Baker shares that sentiment, again, using a local vs. national chapter of your political party as an example—but with a slight twist. “If you’re a voter who is passionate about abortion rights, then what county or state could really use your help around that specific issue?” Baker says. Basically, she explains, if you live in a spot where races are sure to swing your direction, it’s not a bad idea to donate time or money to a race in another state that needs support.
Assume the role of social media influencer.
“I used to be the kind of person who would go back and forth with anyone in my comment section, and then I realized I’m spending so much energy on people who sometimes are intentionally trying to misunderstand me,” Baker says.
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