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Today's Supreme Court decision is one of the most brazen acts of voter suppression in modern history-- and it's a canary in a coal mine. Here's why you should be angry & what you can do about it. /THREAD https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/supreme-court-wisconsin-absentee-ballots.html
Thousands of Wisconsinites, who by no fault of their own won't receive their ballots until after Election Day, won't have their votes counted unless they risk their own health and the health of those around them to go to the polls.
In her dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsberg issued a dire warning about what this means for voters in Wisconsin and for our democracy as a whole.
This shouldn't be all that surprising (even though it's enraging) -- Republicans don't want to make it easier for folks to vote. They know if they do, they'll lose. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-gop-challenge-efforts-to-make-voting-easier-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/2020/04/04/61f889fe-75bb-11ea-87da-77a8136c1a6d_story.html
At least Georgia's GOP House Speaker said what the rest of them are thinking. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/490879-georgias-gop-house-speaker-says-vote-by-mail-system-would-be-devastating
Angry? Good. Here are a few things you can do.
First, if you live in WI, make sure that your ballot is postmarked by tomorrow or dropped off at your clerk's office no later than 8PM. If you haven't received one yet, follow this advice from @benwikler. https://twitter.com/benwikler/status/1247304517705699329?s=20
First, if you live in WI, make sure that your ballot is postmarked by tomorrow or dropped off at your clerk's office no later than 8PM. If you haven't received one yet, follow this advice from @benwikler. https://twitter.com/benwikler/status/1247304517705699329?s=20
Not in Wisconsin? It is critical that we fight like hell to make sure people can vote during a pandemic. Here's our resource on it.
STEP ONE: Read it and share it. https://indivisible.org/resource/ensuring-safe-secure-elections-during-covid-19-outbreak
STEP ONE: Read it and share it. https://indivisible.org/resource/ensuring-safe-secure-elections-during-covid-19-outbreak
TL;DR in the third COVID-19 package, Congress provided $400 million for states to implement some of these important election changes. However, we need at least $2 billion to fully implement these changes. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/estimated-costs-covid-19-election-resiliency-measures
. @SenAmyKlobuchar and @RonWyden have introduced a bill to assist states in expanding vote-by-mail.
STEP TWO: Call your representative to demand they fight to get the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act in the next package. https://indivisible.org/demand-your-representatives-ensure-safe-secure-elections-during-covid-19-outbreak
STEP TWO: Call your representative to demand they fight to get the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act in the next package. https://indivisible.org/demand-your-representatives-ensure-safe-secure-elections-during-covid-19-outbreak
You can also send an email right this very second with all of our demands for the fourth package - a #PeoplesBailout - which includes these important voting measures. https://act.indivisible.org/letter/tell-your-members-congress-prioritize-people-first-economic-stimulus/
STEP THREE: Taking control of the narrative on this particular fight is also critical. That means spreading the word. Record a video demanding your senators act and your neighbors get involved with you. https://indivisible.soapboxx.us/prompt-single/votebymail
But our work doesn't stop there. In tandem with federal legislation, we urge state and local officials to expand and implement vote-by-mail initiatives. State legislatures, governors, secretaries of states, and county officials all have important roles to be played in 3 ways:
Voting: The fed response has failed to provide the amount of $ needed to secure our elections. But states have the power to expand vote by mail or absentee voting.
STEP FOUR: See if your state can do more here. https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-voting-2020-election-november-1dd85246-b1a5-4f6a-a02a-daa518df352a.html
STEP FOUR: See if your state can do more here. https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-voting-2020-election-november-1dd85246-b1a5-4f6a-a02a-daa518df352a.html
Signature match reform: Some states have been able to disenfranchise people by using signature “inconsistencies” to throw out a person’s ballot.
STEP FIVE: Make sure that your state isn’t one of them and if they are, demand changes. https://www.aclu.org/blog/voting-rights/signature-match-laws-disproportionately-impact-voters-already-margins
STEP FIVE: Make sure that your state isn’t one of them and if they are, demand changes. https://www.aclu.org/blog/voting-rights/signature-match-laws-disproportionately-impact-voters-already-margins
Personal protective equipment: It’s the responsibility of your state gov to make sure that poll workers have what they need to safely do their jobs.
STEP SIX: Demand that they provide enough sanitization supplies and equipment to poll workers at in-person voting locations.
STEP SIX: Demand that they provide enough sanitization supplies and equipment to poll workers at in-person voting locations.
Folks, we know that right now feels overwhelming -- trust us, we're dealing with illness and loss on our team, so we get it. But this fight is critical for our democracy and we need all hands on deck.
Over the next few weeks, there will be lots of ways to take action and plug in. If you're with us and ready to fight on this, please take a moment to tell us you're all in at http://peopleoverprofits.indivisible.org , and we'll keep you updated on developments and ways to take action.
