Stephen Hardwick: This is why I work Election Day as a poll worker—managing a voting location and doing anything I legally can to help eligible voters cast whatever vote they want with as little inconvenience as possible.

Vote. Also knock on doors, volunteer for campaingns. Get involved locally. Go to meetings, work with others, make your own community safer, better, more organized. Know what's on school board agendas. Show up and comment. Give politicians a reason to know what you want, and why they should care.

And if you want to laugh in my face, IDGAF. But while you're laughing, try to remember this: We're in this situation because people on the other side spent 30-40 years doing that kind of thing.

Mike, I respect you but people have been voting, and will keep voting. But unless Republicans never win another election, eventually they’ll use the powers the Supreme Court is granting them. We need to take action to change the court. More specifically, elected Democrats need to take action.

You also vote at the city, county, and state elections. You vote in off elections, special elections, any time you can vote you do vote. That part Democrats fucking *suuuuuuuuuck* at. We vote for president and go home thinking our job here is done.

I’ve voted in every election since 1988 except for two off-year primary election with a single minor office like utility or hospital commissioner where I could not distinguish between the candidates. I guess I also skipped effectively unopposed presidential primaries in 2012 and this year.

When I hear “vote harder” it’s useless to me because I do that. It gives me nothing. And even when enough of the people who are unreliable do vote, without follow-through by officials after winning elections it goes to waste.

Sorry, but I'm not sure where you got "vote harder" out of my initial post.

He missed the entire part where voting is only one step and completely glossed over actually doing the work. I've been yelling into the void about politics for a long time and I'm finally involved and sad it took me this long.

I'm phone banking, poll watching, organizing, getting dialed into the local D organizations including at the county level. Block walking isn't currently possible due to the heat in Texas an my health but hopefully that'll change.

We have to vote but if that's all you're doing it's not enough. Mike said as much and all of it got ignored. Fight now, fight local, and hopefully it won't come to throwing bricks.

This is why I work Election Day as a poll worker—managing a voting location and doing anything I legally can to help eligible voters cast whatever vote they want with as little inconvenience as possible.

My wife is disabled and working the Harris County Dems voter protection hotline from bed. I'm doing poll watching from early voting on. There are lots of ways to get involved.

Yes. And I didn’t want to say that working the polls is the only way to serve. The system needs people doing what you’re doing, as well as much more. Some people can’t do more, but for the rest, there’s an election-related niche to Get Important Stuff Done.

So many ways to serve. So many lackluster local party chapters who need their systems shaken up.

I’m not asking what people can do to get involved. People *are* involved. I’m glad they are involved. The constant focus on more of that and grinding down people who are already exhausted while our leaders fail us is demoralizing.

The national party is an absolute shitshow. Honestly, getting Gen Z and Alpha to care is one of the most important pieces right now. The milquetoast national party can't keep going like it. Pressure from the ground up will precipitate change.

The youth are sick of it already, priming them to revolt against the national party rather withdraw in apathy is the Ds biggest challenge.

Exactly. My kids are 17 and 13. The eldest turns 18 before Election Day and is uninterested in voting. And I don’t blame them, even though I try.

Try to get them to vote. Not try to blame them.

Some of mine are the same way. Some aren't and are evolving into activists (I have a bunch). I am working to change the local county party and share my experiences with them.

I mean, it’s not that they don’t care. They are mad about inaction about climate and gun violence and bigotry against LGBT people but they have grown up in a reactionary era where we have no wins and it all gets worse. They can’t understand the joy when Obama won. They just see adults making excuses

YES! I've been a regular poll worker since 2020 and there's a non-zero number of voters who I've found solutions for, up to and including "Hey, that person who you came in with who's a registered voter can vouch for you to register at the polls!" (yay MN and our ability to do so)

Helping people who use assistance to vote is particularly satisfying—making it clear that it’s an honor to help them cast whatever vote they want at the pace they feel comfortable with. Making sure the attitude is customer service, especially when there’s an issue that requires time to resolve.

Arranging the line so people can wait inside instead of out in the cold. Patiently working with the board of elections when you don’t have e something you need. Saying, “Yes, you can use your unexpired drivers license with your old address.”

One vexing problem I couldn’t entirely fix—angry geese near the polling entrance. I hope to have solution by November, because as funny as the problem is, an angry goose could keep voters away. (Everyone seemed to get by them, at least.)

Geese against democracy.

Ohio problems

Talk to some dog people. They start a week or 2 before, demonstrating to the geese it isn't a Good Place. It doesn't have cost anything or be professional. Just get a half-dozen (or more) dogs & owners to spend 20 mins daily chasing the "cobra chickens" away. www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...

A wildlife expert is using dogs to humanely combat the Canada geese problem in the U.S. | CBC Radiowww.cbc.ca In the last 50 years, the United States has seen a steady rise in the number of Canada geese stocking its urban centres all year long. In an effort to thin the country's ranks of these pesky waterfowl, one wildlife expert is using border collies to chase them away from unwanted areas.

It's so satisfying to be able to help people like that! Makes up by far for the assholes who are like, "Your ballot reading machine is made by an international cartel of various dogwhistles, this is illegitimate and why can I not vote for Candidate From Another District?!?"

Another little example: When the line started to get long when we were in a church sanctuary, I took the chair, which were stacked against the wall, and made Disney-style turnaround. With parental permission, every kid in line got their “Ohio Votes” sticker early—because bored kids love stickers.

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