The US Election is Coming Up: Are You Ready?

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In less than 50 days, the United States will attempt to hold arguably the most consequential election in its history. The two candidates differ widely in their approaches to climate change, COVID-19, policing, healthcare, immigration, labor standards, international relations, and education. With so much at stake, we urge every eligible American to vote.

While no single election will solve the country's many glaring injustices, our decisions this year will either assist or greatly obstruct our progress.


Your vote matters.

In 2016, Michigan was decided by an average of just two votes per precinct.

The turnout in that election was so poor, however, that if the refusal to vote counted as a vote for “nobody,” nobody would've won the election by a landslide.
2016-election-2-1.png


Failing to vote transfers your power to those who do - amplifying their voices at the cost of your own.

The 2020 election will decide more than just the Presidency. Local elections will determine who, in your area, will be entrusted with pandemic response, prosecutorial decisions, public school policies, managing police personnel, regional transportation, and more.

Click here to check your voter registration status and make sure your information is up to date.
This election will be one of the most scrutinized in American history. Outdated or inaccurate registration information could invalidate your vote.

If you're not registered, you can register online now. Registration deadlines vary by state. Some states, including Texas and Ohio, require voters to register 30 days before the election. You can check your state's registration deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/



How To Vote By Mail

Due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans intend to vote by mail this election.

Only nine states will automatically send mail-in ballots to registered voters: California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

All other voters must request an absentee ballot to vote by mail.


Click here for help submitting your absentee ballot request online. If you intend to vote by mail, you must place your request soon enough to ensure that you both receive your ballot and mail it in time for your votes to be counted. This guide can help you plan: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/31/us/politics/vote-by-mail-deadlines.html



Recent operational changes to the United States Postal Service have caused widespread delays and failures in mail delivery, which could impact the election.

Efa7M7yXoAEFPoW


You can bypass the USPS by depositing your absentee ballot at your local elections office, or by using one of the drop boxes available in most states. To find your nearest ballot drop off location, consult your local election office.

Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope in the appropriate space, or it will not be counted.



How To Vote Early

If you receive an absentee ballot, we recommend that you complete, sign, and return your ballot as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until election day.

If you plan to vote in person, please consider participating in early voting if available in your area. Voting early could help you avoid long lines and prevent a “mirage victory,” in which election night results will be contradicted after the final absentee ballots are counted – a scenario which would almost certainly result in a protracted dispute over the election's outcome.

Many key states allow early voting up to 45 days prior to the November 3rd election. To find out when you can cast your ballot, refer to this early voting calendar:



How To Make Sure Your Vote Counts

  • Check your voter registration and ensure that all information is up to date - including your signature.

  • If you're voting in person, make sure you bring any required ID with you. Check your state's voter ID requirements here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx#Laws in Effect

  • If you are still waiting in line when the polls close, don't leave - you still have the right to vote.

  • If voting the voting machines at your polling place go down, you have the right to a paper ballot.

  • If you need help obtaining the correct ID, Vote Riders offers assistance, including financial and legal assistance if necessary.

  • If you use an absentee ballot, be certain that you've sealed and signed the envelope in the appropriate location.

  • Be sure to visit the appropriate polling site. Find yours here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/

  • If an election judge raises any questions about your eligibility, you may request a provisional ballot – but these ballots have been historically under-counted and should be treated as a last resort.

  • If you have a felony conviction, you are still eligible to vote in most states. Visit this site for more information: https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote


In 2016, thousands of Americans reported instances of voter intimidation. If you witness or experience voter intimidation, or if anyone attempts to prevent you from voting for any reason, call the election rights hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.
Voter intimidation is a crime. Know your voting rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights/#someone-is-interfering-with-my-right-to-vote



How To Help Others Vote

There are many ways to help protect our democracy and promote voter turnout. Here are a few basics:


Encouarge friends and family to register and vote.

You have the right to assist a friend or family member who has difficulty communicating in English.

In many states, you can help deliver your family members' sealed absentee ballots to a drop box or election office to keep them safe and encourage them to vote. Learn the requirements for your state here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elect...-an-absentee-ballot-other-than-the-voter.aspx


Sign up to serve as a poll worker. Traditionally, older Americans disproportionately serve as poll workers, yet they face an elevated risk due to COVID-19. If you're young and have no underlying conditions that could increase your risk of suffering a severe or fatal infection, you can help fill the void, keep lines reasonable, and ensure that all those eligible to vote will have their ballots counted.

Poll workers are paid, and wages vary by location. Many areas are raising wages to help meet their demand. In Chicago and Cook County, poll workers will earn $230 on election day, and $150 per day during early voting. In Miami Dade County, poll workers earn up to $269 between election day and training.

Document and report attempted interference or intimidation.



This could be the most important election of our lives. Let's act like it.
 
I’ve voted absentee the last couple of elections, but I’m not taking any chances this time around.
 
Is it important to vote even if both candidates are idiots? Srs question.
Do they not teach civics or social studies in schools anymore? :smh:

YES its important. You're not just voting for president, you're voting for senators, reps, and local stuff. You're also indirectly voting for the future of the Supreme Court and judges everywhere. Healthcare, education, social security, the police and racism issues... All of that is on the line this year.

I would go as far as to say that stuff is MORE important than the presidential vote.
 
Do they not teach civics or social studies in schools anymore? :smh:

YES its important. You're not just voting for president, you're voting for senators, reps, and local stuff. You're also indirectly voting for the future of the Supreme Court and judges everywhere. Healthcare, education, social security, the police and racism issues... All of that is on the line this year.

I would go as far as to say that stuff is MORE important than the presidential vote.

I'm over the presidential election but as someone who has never voted before (Under 25)

Do they have synopsis of each candidate's stances at the polls? For local candidates?

May be a dumb question but I've never went to vote before
 
I'm over the presidential election but as someone who has never voted before (Under 25)

Do they have synopsis of each candidate's stances at the polls? For local candidates?

May be a dumb question but I've never went to vote before
Not a dumb question at all bro. Check out the websites of your local newspapers and news stations for a start. They should have something like what your describing. A lot of news sites will have entire sections dedicated to the election.

Where u live? I can see what I can find for you.
 
Joe Biden's platform and policies:

PLEASE READ IT to understand why voting for Biden is voting to give ourselves a better future.

Even if you dont like Biden (quite literally NOBODY in the politics thread had him as first choice) this election ain't about him. It's about putting the people in power that actually want to make the world a better place.
 
I'm over the presidential election but as someone who has never voted before (Under 25)

Do they have synopsis of each candidate's stances at the polls? For local candidates?

May be a dumb question but I've never went to vote before
It can be confusing for local candidates. You need to research it beforehand. Local newspapers, individual websites, and ballotpedia.org all give decent info. It can be especially confusing for all the ballot measures that are often included on the ballot (typically stuff like "should we use a marijuana tax to fund a new highway" or "should we impose a soda tax in middle schools", which seem innocent but often can get very complicated).

As a default, you can use party affiliation as a decent guide, especially for the House of Representatives and Senate races, since they tend to vote along party lines in Congress. If you're not sure what party you support, you can see the Democratic Party platform for 2020 here: https://www.demconvention.com/wp-co...emocratic-Party-Platform-For-Distribution.pdf

The Republican Party opted to forego a new platform this year and instead kept their 2016 platform unchanged and resolved to follow Trump's agenda: https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/docs/Resolution_Platform_2020.pdf
 
I don’t know if it’s the same for some of you. But some of the most vocal people I know, especially on social media who will post F Trump all day long and complain about how gop policies negatively impact them, but have every reason in the world why they won’t vote.

Be it holding the dem candidates to purity tests they themselves could never pass, ‘their guy got screwed’, it takes too much time, they live in a predominantly liberal or conservative state so because of the electoral college their vote won’t count. I’ve been on their ***, especially when it comes to state and senate races, and local elections as well. They need it to hear it consistently.
 
Im ready.
Yeezy 2020.
Arizona state Judge Scott McCoy ruled that the plaintiffs in an Arizona lawsuit filed Monday were likely to succeed on the merits in arguing that state law barred West from appearing on the ballot as an independent candidate for president because he's a registered Republican.

ct-1539392812-gm47eb9tom-snap-image


 
In less than 60 days, the United States will attempt to hold arguably the most consequential election in its history. The two candidates differ widely in their approaches to climate change, COVID-19, policing, healthcare, immigration, labor standards, international relations, and education. With so much at stake, we urge every eligible American to vote.

While no single election will solve the country's many glaring injustices, our decisions this year will either assist or greatly obstruct our progress.


Your vote matters.

In 2016, Michigan was decided by an average of just two votes per precinct.

The turnout in that election was so poor, however, that if the refusal to vote counted as a vote for “nobody,” nobody would've won the election by a landslide.
2016-election-2-1.png


Failing to vote transfers your power to those who do - amplifying their voices at the cost of your own.

The 2020 election will decide more than just the Presidency. Local elections will determine who, in your area, will be entrusted with pandemic response, prosecutorial decisions, public school policies, managing police personnel, regional transportation, and more.

Click here to check your voter registration status and make sure your information is up to date.
This election will be one of the most scrutinized in American history. Outdated or inaccurate registration information could invalidate your vote.

If you're not registered, you can register online now. Registration deadlines vary by state. Some states, including Texas and Ohio, require voters to register 30 days before the election. You can check your state's registration deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/



How To Vote By Mail

Due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans intend to vote by mail this election.

Only nine states will automatically send mail-in ballots to registered voters: California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

All other voters must request an absentee ballot to vote by mail.


Click here for help submitting your absentee ballot request online. If you intend to vote by mail, you must place your request soon enough to ensure that you both receive your ballot and mail it in time for your votes to be counted. This guide can help you plan: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/31/us/politics/vote-by-mail-deadlines.html



Recent operational changes to the United States Postal Service have caused widespread delays and failures in mail delivery, which could impact the election.

Efa7M7yXoAEFPoW


You can bypass the USPS by depositing your absentee ballot at your local elections office, or by using one of the drop boxes available in most states. To find your nearest ballot drop off location, consult your local election office.

Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope in the appropriate space, or it will not be counted.



How To Vote Early

If you receive an absentee ballot, we recommend that you complete, sign, and return your ballot as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until election day.

If you plan to vote in person, please consider participating in early voting if available in your area. Voting early could help you avoid long lines and prevent a “mirage victory,” in which election night results will be contradicted after the final absentee ballots are counted – a scenario which would almost certainly result in a protracted dispute over the election's outcome.

Many key states allow early voting up to 45 days prior to the November 3rd election. To find out when you can cast your ballot, refer to this early voting calendar:



How To Make Sure Your Vote Counts

  • Check your voter registration and ensure that all information is up to date - including your signature.

  • If you're voting in person, make sure you bring any required ID with you. Check your state's voter ID requirements here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx#Laws in Effect

  • If you are still waiting in line when the polls close, don't leave - you still have the right to vote.

  • If voting the voting machines at your polling place go down, you have the right to a paper ballot.

  • If you need help obtaining the correct ID, Vote Riders offers assistance, including financial and legal assistance if necessary.

  • If you use an absentee ballot, be certain that you've sealed and signed the envelope in the appropriate location.

  • Be sure to visit the appropriate polling site. Find yours here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/

  • If an election judge raises any questions about your eligibility, you may request a provisional ballot – but these ballots have been historically under-counted and should be treated as a last resort.

  • If you have a felony conviction, you are still eligible to vote in most states. Visit this site for more information: https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote


In 2016, thousands of Americans reported instances of voter intimidation. If you witness or experience voter intimidation, or if anyone attempts to prevent you from voting for any reason, call the election rights hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.
Voter intimidation is a crime. Know your voting rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights/#someone-is-interfering-with-my-right-to-vote



How To Help Others Vote

There are many ways to help protect our democracy and promote voter turnout. Here are a few basics:


Encouarge friends and family to register and vote.

You have the right to assist a friend or family member who has difficulty communicating in English.

In many states, you can help deliver your family members' sealed absentee ballots to a drop box or election office to keep them safe and encourage them to vote. Learn the requirements for your state here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elect...-an-absentee-ballot-other-than-the-voter.aspx


Sign up to serve as a poll worker. Traditionally, older Americans disproportionately serve as poll workers, yet they face an elevated risk due to COVID-19. If you're young and have no underlying conditions that could increase your risk of suffering a severe or fatal infection, you can help fill the void, keep lines reasonable, and ensure that all those eligible to vote will have their ballots counted.

Poll workers are paid, and wages vary by location. Many areas are raising wages to help meet their demand. In Chicago and Cook County, poll workers will earn $230 on election day, and $150 per day during early voting. In Miami Dade County, poll workers earn up to $269 between election day and training.

Document and report attempted interference or intimidation.



This could be the most important election of our lives. Let's act like it.
I appreciate u making this thread
U should sticky this
Don’t let this fall off the first page
This thread is one of the most important threads right now
And we need to be reminded of voting
Everytime we come to nt
I know some people say they come here to get away
But ain’t no getting away from this
Everyone will be effected on a global scale
This November
 
I’m voting absentee this year but I’m a send my **** back within a day. I gotta do some research and find out if there’s any ballot boxes around me and how to track it cause I read somewhere you can track your ballot.
 
Is it important to vote even if both candidates are idiots? Srs question.
Yes, it is.

I addressed this general sentiment in a recent post in the Political discussion thread: https://niketalk.com/threads/official-political-discussion-thread.509493/post-33416645

As I mentioned in the topic post, you aren't just voting for a President. Voters will also choose Congresspeople, school board members, local lawmakers, and local executives. Even your choice for President is not limited to one person. In selecting a President, you're also selecting an administration, which shapes federal law enforcement and regulatory policies, judicial nominations (including the Supreme Court), and more.

If you care about something like police accountability, for example, your vote for President and Congressional representatives will influence which bills - if any - are passed, or if they are signed into law.

You're also choosing local officials, and it would be a mistake to overlook their importance - especially when it comes to something like police accountability. In some communities, the chief of police is elected directly by voters. Where this is not the case, the chief of police is appointed by an elected official, like the mayor.

You're voting for the people who set police budgets. You're voting for the people who write local laws. You're voting judges, or those who appoint them. You're voting for the district attorneys and the attorney general's office, who make charging decisions and issue sentencing recommendations. The Kentucky Attorney General who refused to prosecute Breonna Taylor's killers is an elected official, and he spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Even school board decisions have an impact on policing. Will your local schools employ uniformed officers? Will they facilitate a "school to prison pipeline?"

Your choices matter. By consistently voting in primary elections, we can also improve the quality of choices available to us in future elections.


If voting didn't matter, people wouldn't be working so hard, and spending so much money, to try and suppress your vote.

We don't have to choose between voting and direct action. We can and should do both. The choices we make at the ballot can aid or obstruct all other efforts to improve our society.


Do they have synopsis of each candidate's stances at the polls? For local candidates?
This information is not available at the polls, but news organizations, as well as nonprofits like the League of Women Voters, publish voter information guides that summarize ballot initiatives and provide an overview of the candidates for each office on the ballot in an upcoming election.

As the election draws closer, you'll be able to visit https://www.vote411.org/ for a voter information guide customized for your election.

If you have the time, consider these guides a starting point, and look up more information about the candidates and races that most interest you. You can even reach out to candidates' campaigns directly for more information. In local races, you may even hear back from the candidate themselves depending on the candidate and the size of your community.


I appreciate u making this thread
U should sticky this
Don’t let this fall off the first page
This thread is one of the most important threads right now
And we need to be reminded of voting
Everytime we come to nt
I know some people say they come here to get away
But ain’t no getting away from this
Everyone will be effected on a global scale
This November
That is the intention. Generally speaking, though, many users tend to gloss over pinned topics, so I try to give everyone a chance to see them in the forums themselves first and then pin them.

In a typical cycle, I'd create the post on or around national voter registration day. Given the importance of early voting and registration (new voters not only need time to submit their voter registration - but also potentially their absentee ballot application), we started earlier this year - but not so early as to encourage procrastination.

If you're reading this as a new voter - act now to ensure that you'll be able to participate in this urgent and historic election.
 
Your choices matter. By consistently voting in primary elections, we can also improve the quality of choices available to us in future elections.
One thing to add to this -- the people you elect now, especially on the local and state level, will shape future elections. Things like gerrymandering, appointed officials, and so on can be determined by the state legislature or the governor (also, don't forget to fill out the 2020 Census if you have not already: https://2020census.gov/en.html). So even if you're not 100% excited about the current candidates, voting for people who will protect voters is important to ensure that you can vote for people you are excited about in future elections.
 
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