Good morning John,
Only FIVE days until the election…FIVE days to Get Out the Vote for pro-democracy candidates, but it will take all of us! We need your help!
President Biden spoke last night about the threats we face in the closing days of the midterms. He called out the endless lies about stolen elections and the violence caused by those lies. He called out election deniers for their pledge to only certify elections they like, or overturn any they don’t. The President brought home the sobering consequences should these MAGA authoritarians gain power. The only hope we have to protect our democracy is to do the work today before it’s too late.
Here are the most important actions we can take this week in Pennsylvania:
- PA Weekday Virtual Phone Bank
Thursday and Friday, November 3rd and 4th, multiple times available (Virtual)
Make calls to talk with voters about electing pro-democracy candidates up and down the ballot, and what issues are important to them.
- PA Get Out The Vote Phone Bank
Saturday, November 5 – Tuesday, November 8, multiple times available (Virtual)
Make phone calls to Get Out the Vote by ensuring voters have a plan to vote for John Fetterman, Josh Shapiro, and other pro-democracy candidates up and down the ballot on November 8th.
- Voter Protection and Poll Observer Training opportunities can be found here
Multiple days and times available
Talk with potential voter protection volunteers about protecting the vote and voting for pro-democracy candidates up and down the ballot. Or consider becoming a voter protection volunteer yourself!
In Pennsylvania, as always, there’s drama. Another very important thing we need to do is to ensure all votes count. There’s misinformation everywhere in PA. Some Independents have heard they aren’t allowed to vote in the General Election. Some college students have heard they have to vote “at home.” Mail-in ballots are in the news, and it’s easy for voters to get confused — they need to date their mail-in ballot envelopes! We need pro-democracy voters to have confidence their vote matters — that it will count!
If you can’t commit to these events, please recruit others who can—in fact, do that anyway. We need everyone we can get. (Remember, whenever you pitch in, please complete our brief Event Follow-Up form. This will help us track our progress and impact in this crucial week before November 8.)
As we have all seen, voter intimidation has already begun. If you or anyone you know needs help with voting and/or has experienced voter intimidation, please call 1-833-728-6837 in Pennsylvania, or 1-866-OUR-VOTE anywhere in the U.S.
As we close in on Election Day, no one knows what the outcome will be. But we do know it’s time to put our heads down, ignore the noise, and get out the vote. Knock on doors, staff the phone banks, hop in your car to get voters to the polls. As Simon Rosenberg said this week, “We are past the point of national polling having the ability to tell us where we are.” The big remaining question is whether pro-democracy voters will surpass expectations. It’s something we’ve done in special elections all year—so let’s work hard to make that happen across the country!
At the same time, win or lose, let’s promise to pick up again AFTER the midterms, because together we’ve built something extraordinary, and it will be crucial going forward. Sixty-two thousand volunteers strong, we’re a unique force in American politics: a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents united in a common purpose, with a shared love of country, a reverence for democracy, and a determination to pass that democracy on, hopefully stronger and more vibrant than we found it.
One thing is clear: Our fight against MAGA extremism has just begun. It’s the test of a generation—and it will take all of us to win.
See you out there!
Lindsey Scott, Acting State Lead for Pennsylvania
Meadville, PA
[email protected]
P.S. This week’s listen is a great conversation between Simon Rosenberg and Bill Kristol, renowned conservative strategist and pro-democracy ally. Beyond reasons to work hard on this election, they discuss how to build a powerful coalition, offering a clear-eyed view of the turmoil and opportunities ahead.
The Union Action Center makes it easy to find ways to defend democracy in this election—from canvassing and phone banking to poll-watching and driving voters to cast their votes. It’s easy to use and incredibly robust—we’re updating CONSTANTLY.
Remember to ask a friend to join The Union and follow The Union on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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