Objecting to the Electoral Ballots is not new, but 1/6/21 was indeed different!! I must admit, I have never watched the proceedings before as it is usually ceremonial, lasting approximately 30- 60 minutes.
The BEST way to elect progressives is to invest in the grassroots organizing groups that are on the ground 24/7/365 doing the work to go beyond platitudes and instead are achieving public policy wins for normally marginalized people at the local, state and national levels.
They also help these people organize themselves so that they can advocate for their own priorities — a novel concept— which leads to them BEING and, importantly, FEELING empowered. This leads to increased trust in institutions and the political system, which in turn grows participation and voter turnout.
The 2020 Census has been a political tug-of-war, with the Trump administration seeking to restrict its ability to include undocumented immigrants and marginalized communities in general. Check out this “deep dive” into the story, and the importance, of the census.
If you have moved in the last 30 days, you will need to re-register. You can update your information through this online voter registration page before October 19 or go to your city or township clerk. If you have moved and have not changed your address for voting, you will need to do that.
If you have received your absentee ballot and then decided to vote in person on election day, contact your clerk for instructions. If you need assistance with your absentee ballot, read the specific instructions regarding that.
On September 28, 2020, the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced a target date of October 5, 2020, to conclude 2020 Census self-response and field data collection operations. The Commerce Department announced the speedup last month, two weeks after President Trump took a second swing at the problem of counting noncitizens, ordering the department to compile state-by-state estimates of unauthorized immigrants to exclude them from reapportionment calculations.
According to the Michigan Secretary of State website, there were close to 11,000 rejected ballots in the August primary election. More than 80% were due to signature verification issues or late arrival. Make sure that your vote is counted this November!
Since Election Day is only a few days away, it’s a great idea to drop off your ballot rather than mail it. Find your clerk! Go to Ballotpower.org or the Michigan Secretary of State’s office website to locate your clerk’s office.
Act Now – Contact your legislators. Tell them that you need affordable and reliable package delivery service more than ever and that funding the postal service is a paramount necessity for the American people.
Common Dreams explains that the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been hit hard by the decline in mail volume resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, and the agency remains hindered by a congressional mandate requiring it to fund its retirees’ health benefits through the year 2056. Read to learn how you can help save the post office.
If you’re the type of person who cares about our democracy, I encourage you to become a challenger and help ensure the fairness of our elections. Above all, if you’re the type of person who likes viewing the flowers in other people’s gardens, I encourage you to become a challenger and obtain that unique perspective.