Crush the Midterms and NC GoVote

[teaotter]

If your friends are wondering what they can do to help the Democrats in the election this year, there's a new website that can help.

Crush The Midterms is a simple tool that asks you a few questions (whether or not you're registered, what kinds of issues interest you, your zip code) and crafts a plan of action and a personal list of important dates -- like the voting registration deadline in your area.

You can transfer that list directly to an electronic calendar. (The list doesn't mention 'check your registration right before the deadline and make sure it's ok,' but that should absolutely be on everyone's to-do list!)

....

North Carolina is one of the worst states for voter suppression tactics that target registered voters. This year, there's an app available that will monitor your registration for any changes. You can find out how it works here at NC GoVote.

I'm hoping more apps like it appear for other states!

Next elections: August 2nd and August 7th

[teaotter]

Tennessee has its primaries on THURSDAY, August 2nd. Early voting runs through the 28th; vote by mail applications have to be in by the 26th.

The next week, on Tuesday August 7th, the following states are having their primaries:

Kansas -- Michigan -- Missouri -- Washington

If you know anyone in these states, REMIND THEM TO VOTE!

(These states have vote by mail that you can ask for if you do it by the 31st, and all but Michigan have early voting that's open now -- check the dates here.)

For the rest of the season, I'm going to post the upcoming dates for various states. If you know anyone in these states, poke them and remind them to vote! Every vote counts!

The Protect American Votes and Elections Act 2018

[teaotter]

Press release: a group of senators has introduced a bill to require paper ballots and risk-limiting audits in all federal elections. (Senators Wyden, Gillibrand, Markey, Murphy, and Merkley.)

These are the two BEST ways to protect our elections against electronic tampering. Taking a statistical sample of the paper ballots, we can check if the results match the electronically-tabulated ones.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer submitted a matching proposal in the House.

PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS AND REPS TO DEMAND THAT THEY SUPPORT THE PaveACT 2018!!!

I haven't had a chance to read the bill yet, which is the only reason I'm not (yet) jumping on the tables and begging everyone to call their senators and reps and DEMAND that this bill get passed. But if this bill does what it says, that's exactly what I'm going to be doing.

edit: This is actually from June 12 and has been around for a while; I got really excited because tonight is the first I'd heard of it. I'm sorry if I'm late to the party!

Read them yourself: S.3049 & HR 6093.

A few notes from me (potential issues, but not deal-breakers imho):

- The bills require hand-marked ballots, not just paper ballots that the voter can check. Which means that every jurisdiction with electronic machines is going to have to replace theirs, even if it prints out a paper ballot that the voter gets to verify. This'll be expensive, may need federal money, and may push back the timetable.

- There is some language for accessibility for voters who can't hand-mark ballots, but I'm not versed enough in accessibility to know if it's sufficient.

- They require hand recounts, which will be expensive when they happen and may come into conflict with state election laws.