A Care Package for the Folks Back Home

Practical information you can share with friends & family in the U. S.

We attended the recent Road to November Town Hall and came away with a terrific collection of practical information about protecting the vote, the special protections available to overseas voters, and ways ordinary people can help protect voters this fall.

Some of it was too useful to keep to ourselves.

So here is a little care package you can send home.

 

1. Watch the Road to November Town Hall

The Town Hall covers voting from abroad, voter protection, threats voters may encounter this election season and—most importantly—things people can actually do about them.

Watch the Road to November Town Hall

View the Road to November Town Hall slides

 

 

2. Help Protect Voters This Fall

One of the most encouraging things we learned about was the effort to train Democracy Protectors: volunteers who can help protect voters and serve as trained constitutional observers outside polling locations.

You don’t have to be a lawyer or an election expert to help.

Volunteers receive training about what to watch for, how to assist voters appropriately, how to document problems, and when and how to get help from the voter-protection operation.

[ILLUSTRATION: Miniature colorized Democracy Defender cartoon]

 

3. Become a Democracy Protector

Democratic state parties and the DNC are training volunteers to serve outside polling locations as a friendly, helpful presence for voters and as constitutional observers. The training is being offered weekly in September.

See upcoming Democracy Protectors trainings

Join the DNC Civic Engagement and Voter Protection volunteer team

[ILLUSTRATION: Small ballot box with shield/checkmark]

 

4. What Does a Democracy Protector Do?

Observe. Help. Document. Escalate.

Democracy Protectors aren’t there to interfere with voting or confront people. They’re part of a larger voter-protection effort designed to identify problems, help voters get appropriate assistance, and get serious issues quickly to people equipped to handle them.

[ILLUSTRATION: Small clipboard/checkmark]

 

5. More Ways to Help Protect the Vote

Not everyone wants—or is able—to stand outside a polling place. Election-protection programs need people in other roles, too. Depending upon the program and location, opportunities can include poll observation, voter hotlines, ballot-curing assistance, constitutional observing, data support and other voter-protection work.

DNC Voter Protection Volunteer Survey

[ILLUSTRATION: Small telephone + clipboard + ballot]

 

6. Help Someone Vote

Maybe your friend or family member doesn’t want to volunteer. They may simply need reliable information about their own vote. These resources can help people register, check their registration, understand state rules and deadlines, find local election officials, and get help if they run into a problem.

VoteAmerica — registration, ballot and deadline tools

VOTE411 — personalized, nonpartisan voting information

Can I Vote? — official state-election information

Find your state or local election office

Election Protection hotline and help

 

[ILLUSTRATION: Two people, one helping the other with a ballot/checkmark]

 

7. Pass It On

You don’t have to become an election expert to make a difference. Learn what you can do, choose something that fits you, and send this page to someone else who might want to help.

Action alleviates anxiety.

[ILLUSTRATION: Little open care-package box with a ballot, heart, envelope and clipboard]