Remote work
Phone banking
Picking up the phone to call or text potential voters is very easy to do and incredibly effective. Simply sharing how much this election means to you and potentially to the person on the other end of the line really helps mobilize voters that otherwise wouldn’t make it a priority. So many people discount their voice and their vote. “My single vote won’t matter” means nothing when we’re working as a collective and plenty of elections have been decided by hundreds or even tens of votes. So every vote absolutely matters! Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include phone banking.
Card/letter writing
Many organizations conduct card/letter writing campaigns to send that personal touch and plea to identified potential voters. Like phone banking, this is also highly effective in reaching people on a personal level, showing that someone cared enough to write them a tailored note emphasizing how important this election is to them. Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include card/letter writing. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.
IN-PERSON
Register voters
Every candidate, the DNC, and political PAC will conduct voter drives at some point before the voter registration deadline. This usually involves setting up a booth outside stores or in public squares or canvassing neighborhoods. Many people don’t know how to register or don’t have time to deal with it. This really helps disenfranchised communities that conservatives count on not taking the time to register. These voter populations are also targeted to be purged from voter rolls so it’s important to remind everyone to check their registration. Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include voter registration. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.
Local events
Campaigns and local organizations usually conduct local events so that constituents can meet the candidates and potentially sign up to volunteer. If you have a penchant for event coordination, please consider this as an option to get the word out in your community. Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include local events. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.
Election day (gotv)
transportation
You might have heard of organizations such as Souls to the Polls and VoteRiders that focus on providing transportation for people simply needing a ride to their polling location due to economic reasons or a disability. Disenfranchised communities are disportionately affected as they literally can’t find a way to go vote. This is a huge factor in getting out the vote and incredibly important. So if you’re a Lyft/Uber driver or have viable transportation, please consider helping in this way. Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include transportation opportunities. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.
Poll watching
As the rhetoric builds from conservative candidates about providing their own poll watchers (implying voter intimidation and disenfranchisement), it is critical we have a presence to make sure everyone can vote and has access to their polling location. Polling locations also need volunteers to help with day-to-day operations. Please check out Power the Polls and reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include poll worker/watcher opportunities. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.
Canvassing
Campaigns will utilize door-to-door canvassing throughout the campaign season, but really ramp up a few weeks before the election. Typically they’ll be armed with data on registered voters who haven’t voted yet. This directly reminds people to make it a priority to vote and offer any assistance they might need in the process. Please reference the “get involved” section under your respective state (or wherever you want to help) and see curated options that include canvassing opportunities. Also reach out to local organizations assisting local candidates; they will definitely have opportunities to help.