Mon. 1/20: Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for access to the polls. We also need to fight – for our polls, our votes, and our democracy to be secure. Comment deadline TONIGHT 5:00 pm.

“Let My People Vote” – In June 1965, the Voting Rights Act languished in the House Rules Committee after passage in the Senate. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter to the New York Amsterdam News urging its passage as the first step in ensuring access to the ballot. (Atlantic) Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

DEADLINE TONIGHT! – Fight for secure elections! Write a comment opposing the certification of an easily hackable voting system for LA County!

Los Angeles County has been working on a more accessible and transparent voting system, using high-tech “ballot marking devices” (BDM). Groundbreaking, just like the first electric voting machines were, compared to old-fashioned hand-marked ballots. However, testers have found user interface and security problems, including being able to access and alter electronic records and get into the physical ballot boxes without detection. Although in-person voting begins in six weeks, the state has yet to sign off on the new technology and in-person voting begins on Feb. 22.

Comments are due by TONIGHT – Monday, January 20, 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM EST.

E-mail the state at VotingSystems@sos.ca.gov immediately.
Comment line: Use the words “Comments on VSAP 2.0” in the Subject.
Write in the email: Please do not certify the dangerous, unverifiable VSAP touchscreen computer voting system. Instead, require a HAND-MARKED PAPER BALLOT (HMPB) for all voters at the polling place in this year’s crucial primary and general elections. Every precinct should still have ballot-marking devices (BMD) available for those who cannot mark paper ballots by hand
Call (916) 695-1680 and say the same thing!

Continue reading “Mon. 1/20: Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for access to the polls. We also need to fight – for our polls, our votes, and our democracy to be secure. Comment deadline TONIGHT 5:00 pm.” →

Tues 6/11: Making voting more accessible, especially to those with disabilities. Part 2: Federal legislation.

(Today’s actions from Americans of Conscience, quote from – Lisa Schur, Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.)

See Part 1 here.

Although 25% of the U.S. population is disabled in some way, voter turnout in the disability community lags nearly 6 percentage points behind that of nondisabled people. Challenges include voter ID laws; inaccessible polling places; finding accessible election materials; and properly trained poll workers.

Action #1 – H.R.1/S.949 – “For the People” Act includes disability access improvements.

ANOTHER reason why HR.1 and the senatorial version S.949 are so important… These bills increase voting access for those with disabilities by increasing accessibility requirements at polling places, and giving out grants to help pay for necessary alterations. These bills also make registration materials and notices regarding voter roll purges more accessible and expand access to early voting and same-day voter registration. Extending hours helps not only those with schedules dependant on personal care attendants, but also parents of young children, and those with jobs that conflict with normal polling hours. Combo-scripts and contact info. below

Action #2 – H.R.865/S266 – the Rebuild America’s Schools Act will make many polling places more accessible.

Continue reading “Tues 6/11: Making voting more accessible, especially to those with disabilities. Part 2: Federal legislation.” →

Tues 6/4: H.R. 1/S.949 – “For the People Act” is a litmus test for corruption. Ask your senators to stand up and fight for a country to be proud of.

Video and top graphic from equalcitizens.us

Today’s action on protecting our right to vote is to ask our Senators to push through H.R.1/ S.949, historic bills to strengthen democracy. H.R.1 passed the House on March 8th, on a 234-193 vote. Now the Senate version – S.949, is in the Senate and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a shamelessly partisan operative, has vowed to stop it, calling it “radical” and “socialist“. This would be a surprise to the non-partisan League of Women Voters, who’ve endorsed H.R.1 as “an important step forward in repairing our broken political system and our destructive campaign finance system.”

These bills will:

Change the way campaigns get funded
End partisan gerrymandering
Establish automatic voter registration
Restore the Voting Rights Act
Impose strong new ethics rules on members of Congress.

Action – Call your senator and remind them that we want this brought to the Senate floor now.

All the Democratic senators have already signed on. Get your family and friends in red states to pick up their phones too. We need GOP senators to get this done.

Minimal Script for Democratic Senators: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Sen. [___] for [his/her] support of S.949 and to tell Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that his constituents aren’t accepting corruption-as-usual nonsense anymore and to bring S.949 – “For the People Act” to the floor for a vote.

Continue reading “Tues 6/4: H.R. 1/S.949 – “For the People Act” is a litmus test for corruption. Ask your senators to stand up and fight for a country to be proud of.” →

Thurs – 3/7: Dear Senator McConnell… America is waiting for H.R.l. (Call your senators!)

Action – Call your senator and tell them that we don’t accept McConnell’s edict.

Minimal Script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Sen. [___] to tell Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that your constituents aren’t accepting corruption-as-usual nonsense anymore and to bring H.R. 1 to the floor for a vote.

Come on, Senator McConnell…

We’ve written some of the big points so a 5th grader could explain them to you. Tell us why you won’t bring the anti-corruption bill that America is waiting for to a vote.
If you want more “grownup” references, here’s a quick overview of H.R.1, an easy-to-read section-by-section breakdown and the bill’s full text.
Link to McConnell’s statements here.

(Here are its supporters in the House. If your rep. isn’t listed, call them along with your senators. Contact information for legislators at the bottom. Thank Carbajal and Brownley for being cosponsors!)

Continue reading “Thurs – 3/7: Dear Senator McConnell… America is waiting for H.R.l. (Call your senators!)” →

Mon – 3/4: Basic Democracy needs an active offense. Take 2 fast actions!

Action #1 – Thank our legislators for their support of H.R. 1 – “For the People Act”.

Indivisible National calls it: “…a big, bold, progressive vision for the future”

Rep. Zoe Lofgren said it “ends the dominance of big money in our politics. It ensures public officials work in the public interest.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calls it a “power grab“.

So you know it’s good!

Minimal script for our reps: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Rep. [___] for cosponsoring H.R.- 1 -“For the People Act”. Please vote down amendmentsthat would water down the bill, and reject any Republican “Motion to Recommit.“

(Rep-check here. Thank Brownley and Carbajal!) Continue reading “Mon – 3/4: Basic Democracy needs an active offense. Take 2 fast actions!” →

Wed – 11/14: Keep your damn pants on, Mr. President. The election’s not over ’til it’s over. UPDATE – People are now getting arrested!

For a little perspective, votes were still being counted A MONTH after Trump’s election to office in 2016. It was during this time that Hillary Clinton’s popular vote lead grew to 2.8 million nationwide, which rankled Trump so badly that he created, in connection with Kris Kobach and V.P. Pence, the money-wasting, gaslighting Election Integrity Commission to chase down the illegal voters of their darkest dreams. 19 actual fraudulent votes were eventually found by the DOJ. Over the entire country.

This all aside, we still have work to do. And because we’re Indivisible, we’re uniting with groups all over the country. Donate, phone bank, text bank. Write.

Action #1 – Help Georgia get a GOOD Secretary of State. Really. It’s crazy there.

Update further: State Senator Nikema Williams was strip-searched. For protesting.

Continue reading “Wed – 11/14: Keep your damn pants on, Mr. President. The election’s not over ’til it’s over. UPDATE – People are now getting arrested!” →

Mon – 11/12: Keep your damn pants on, Mr. President. The election’s not over ’til it’s over.

This all aside, we still have work to do.

Action #1 – Volunteer to make this Senate seat blue.

Mike Espy is running against Senator Cindy (“If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row”) Hyde-Smith, an appointee who replaced GOP Senator Thad Cochran earlier this year and who has voted with Trump 100% of her short time in the Senate. In 1986, Espy became the first African-American from Mississippi elected to Congress since Reconstruction. In 1993, he became Secretary of Agriculture in the Clinton Administration. Continue reading “Mon – 11/12: Keep your damn pants on, Mr. President. The election’s not over ’til it’s over.” →

Mon – 11/5: Don’t be left behind. Check your Voting Plan today!

Action #1. How do I choose what and who to vote for?

Click here for our VOTING GUIDE. It will show you what organizations like the Sierra Club, labor groups, Democrats, progressive physicians and others believe to be the best choices for our future.

This is not a test and you can leave items blank. Just do your best.

Vote for the future. Yours, and the world your children and grandchildren will inherit.

Action #2 – Check that you’re actually registered.

A lot of people aren’t sure. No problem. If you’re a resident of Ventura County, check here. If you live elsewhere, go here.

If you ARE REGISTERED – YAY! Go on to step #3.
If you aren’t…don’t panic. Your voice is important. Go to step #10

Action #3 – Confirm your polling place.

Continue reading “Mon – 11/5: Don’t be left behind. Check your Voting Plan today!” →

Fri – 10/19: Today’s Action Prescription

Action #1 – Understand this meme. In CA, it’s true for REGISTERED voters ONLY!

If you are actually registered, but your polling place doesn’t have the correct information to determine that fact, or there is conflicting information about your registration, you will be given a provisional ballot on Election Day. You will be allowed to vote, given a tracking number to follow your ballot and your vote will be counted just like any other. Issues that require a provisional ballot include:

Voter’s name is not on the current roster.
Voter’s name is on the roster and HAS moved.
Vote-By-Mail Voter who does not have a Vote-By-Mail ballot to surrender. (giving them another ballot at the polling place would mean two ballots were issued to them. Despite what Trump says, we don’t issue people extra ballots.)
Voter is marked in register as “see ID” and has no ID. (first time federal voter)
Voter selects a ballot other than their listed party or selects an unauthorized party (primary only – doesn’t apply for this election)