Defend the Vote for Public Health!
Thanks to everyone who dedicated time to Defend the Vote for Public Health this election cycle! If you were a poll worker, an election monitor, advocated for paid time off at your workplace for election activities, or worked to get out the vote on issues that matter for our collective health — THANK YOU! We appreciate you. Your work mattered. In fact, this year, more people turned out to vote than ever before.
Due to the unprecedented nature of Trump refusing to acknowledge defeat, we will be staying vigilant in the coming weeks. Our campaign to #DefendTheVote4PH continues, and now moves into the phase of working to defend the results for public health. See our list of ways to stay involved below:
Take action today:
- Tell lawyers to stop undermining our democracy: Law firms in key battleground states are doing post-election litigation to challenge legitimate votes and counting processes. Over the past couple of days, their offices have been flooded with calls and emails demanding that they stop interfering with a free and fair election - and it's working! Take action with the Frontline Election Defenders today by calling and emailing these law firms and asking them to drop their cases that are undermining democracy.
- Register new voters now so they can vote in upcoming elections. This is particularly critical in Georgia where there will be a runoff election in January. Find more resources for Georgia elections here.
- Join The Frontline for one of their upcoming Election Defenders actions and gatherings.
- While voter turnout was record-breaking this year, there are still tens of thousands of folks who were denied their right to vote. Take action locally to restore voting rights and to ensure everyone has the right to vote moving forward with these actions from the American Friends Service Committee.
How to Beat an Election-Related Power Grab
On Monday, November 2nd Human Impact Partners hosted a virtual watch party and discussion of “How to Beat an Election-related Power Grab” — a training developed by ChooseDemocracy.us.
While we hope it doesn't come to this, it is something we've needed to prepare for. You can view slides of the training we previewed together and watch a full recording of a similar training from George Lakey here.
#EveryVoteCounts —Our health depends on it!
As health workers, students, and organizers, we have an important role in defending democracy for the sake of public health. We've used our voices to get out the vote and name all the ways voting matters for health.
Now let's ensure each of those votes is counted.
Check out 5 Ways Health Departments Can Help Ensure Healthy Voting
Use our resource for concrete actions and strategies health departments can take to help ensure safe and healthy voting.
Health departments have a critical role to play to ensure that all communities have a say in the conditions and decisions that impact their lives. If you work at or in partnership with a health department, or know others who do, please implement and share this resource!
Stay safe from COVID-19 when organizing
Use and share this guide for general information to be informed on how to protect yourself and your community in this political moment. This resource is for anyone thinking about attending any in-person gatherings, including protests or activities related to defending the vote. Ongoing evidence shows that protests in recent months have not contributed to increased rates of transmission of COVID-19. That said, there are several best practices and precautions to take.