Holiday celebrations are approaching, and with them comes opportunities for conversations. From Uber drivers to that relative, you may have a chance to talk about Biden’s accomplishments or other good news that the media ignores. Remember, most people do not pay for a newspaper or even watch the news – whatever the reason, they just don’t pay attention. Here are some conversation starters!
Is your Voter Registration up to date? Taylor wants you to check!
“I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!”
-Taylor Swift
“What’s she saying: “I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently, “Swift wrote in a message on her Instagram story on Tuesday, linking to vote. org’s site.”I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!”What she’s saying: “I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently,” Swift wrote in a message on her Instagram story on Tuesday, linking to Vote.org’s site. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!”
Taylor Swift’s post encouraged more than 35,000 people to register to vote on Vote.org. This is so important for our democratic coalition. Please encourage people you meet this holiday season to register to vote. Have they moved? They need to reregister. Have they voted sporadically? They should check to make sure they have not been thrown off the rolls.
Swing and/or Red States are notorious for purging voter rolls. Indeed, it doesn’t hurt to check your voting status because there are so many errors in the purging. For example, in 2019, the Director of the League of Women Voters in Ohio was going to be purged – even though she had voted consistently! This year, Virginia was caught wrongfully removing 3,400 voters. It’s all part of the Republican strategy of voter suppression.
Massachusetts Does Not Have Same Day Voter Registration
Daniel Darris-O’Connor, a junior at Billerica Memorial High School, has created a ballot initiative to allow same-day voter registration in Massachusetts. To make it to the ballot, 75,000 signatures must be collected. The legislature refused to include Same Day Voter Registration in the Votes Act passed in 2022.
Same Day Registration (SDR) is a common sense reform that allows voters to register to vote or update their existing registration with proof of residence on Election Day and during the Early Voting period. Currently, in Massachusetts, a 20-day cutoff for voter registration disenfranchises thousands of voters. The policy ensures every eligible voter a guaranteed opportunity to vote. In place since 1973 and now in 21 states, SDR is a simple and cost-effective way of including all voices in our democratic process.
Even in Massachusetts, incumbents are wary of making it easier to vote. We need to push for strong democratic practices in Blue states to combat the autocratic tendencies of Red States. Read more about this Strategy for Saving Democracy.