If you’ve been following our Tiny Actions for 2018, you’ve already registered to vote. Getting yourself registered is a great start, but if we want to mobilize the millions of voters overseas, we’ll need your help to get as many people registered as possible. The time to do that is now.
This week's Tiny Action: Sign up to be a phone bank volunteer, and start making those calls!
New to phone banking?
- Log in to democratsabroad.org and sign up to help with phone banking: https://www.democratsabroad.org/voter_support_team
If you have already volunteered, you will see a “thank you for volunteering” image. - Review the materials for first-time phone bankers: https://www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking
- Check your email for instructions to activate your CallHub account - the system we use to call Americans abroad. Follow the instructions and be sure to write down your username and password.
- You’re ready to start making calls. Log in at https://callhub.io and get started!
Returning phone banker?
- Review the refresher materials and info on current campaigns here: https://www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking
- Go to https://callhub.io to enter your username and password.
- Your username is probably country code and name. Ex: CA-Heidi-Burch
- Forgot your password? Click Forgot to receive CallHub instructions to set up a new one. - Start making those calls!
MORE INFO
You don't need to be a voting expert to help. A script will be displayed within CallHub, and as noted in our CallHub Dos and Don’ts, if voters have any questions, they can just contact the Voter Helpdesk ([email protected]) and our voting experts will follow up.
For every voter to receive a ballot this year, it’s important to understand:
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Midterms are a FEDERAL election year, which means everyone can vote.
Federal elections don’t just mean voting for President, but also Members of Congress. One third of the Senate and the ENTIRE House will be decided this November.
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Americans abroad should request their ballots EVERY CALENDAR YEAR.
Some voters requested a ballot in late 2017 for a special election. Others say it’s not necessary because they always receive a ballot without requesting. Unfortunately, these practices can change unexpectedly, especially with voting rights advocates on the defense. Requesting a ballot now ensures voters will receive their ballots promptly this year - including for primaries - and that any issue can be addressed far in advance.
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Our votes count, even in the deepest blue and red states.
It’s a common misconception that absentee ballots are only counted in tight races. Many elections have a clear winner, so ballots still being counted after election night don't affect projected results. But absentee ballots count just as much as in-person, and these CAN be the votes to swing an election.
In 2016, Governor Roy Cooper (NC) received more votes from abroad than his entire margin of victory. We also gave Senator Maggie Hassan her 2016 win in New Hampshire, and in return, her vote kept the GOP from repealing the Affordable Care Act last summer.
Dems have already flipped 36 legislative seats since 2016, including Doug Jones in Alabama and recent wins in Florida and Missouri - a district that Trump won by 28 points. That’s GREAT news for us, but it also means that Republicans will be pulling out all the stops to defend their turf and take back seats currently held by Democrats. We can’t afford for anyone to sit out this year.
More questions? Check out the phone banking info and voting news updates on our site, and then contact [email protected] if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
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As always, our aim is to turn tiny actions into big results, so we hope we can continue to count on your help! Please send suggestions for our next tiny action to info at democratsabroad dot org.