Vote Like an Intersectional Feminist
November 5th, 2024 is the deadline to vote in the US 2024 elections. Voting is a human right and a civic responsibility. We believe in your individual power to make a difference this November, that’s why we created this guide to help you exercise your power:
What’s in the guide?
📌 How to vote
📌 How to register to vote
📌 How to make a voting plan
📌 How to vote down ballot
📌 Voting guides on important issues
📌 Your voting rights
See you at the polls! And remember, the last day to vote in the US General Election is November 5th, 2024.
👉 Find your local polling place, hours of election day, and voting rights all at this link. 👈
👉 Look up your state’s voting deadlines here.
Disclaimer: This voter guide is a nonpartisan initiative that seeks to educate, empower and inform voters to take action using an intersectional feminist framework.
1️⃣ How to Vote
Find out if you are eligible at howto.vote If you are 18 years old on or before election day, and a citizen of the United States, you are able to vote in the US.
At howto.vote you can learn your specific state’s voting guidelines and eligibility.
Make a Voting plan ahead of Midterm election day at vote.org The last day to vote is November 5th, 2022.
Most states offer early voting and vote by mail options ahead of November 5th.
You can vote in your local polling place or by mail 👉 Visit this link and type in your address to find your local polling place.
If you are planning to vote by mail, request a mail-in ballot as soon as possible to make sure that the post office has it on or before election day
Make a plan that works best for you.
Register to vote & check your registration status by texting ‘FEMINIST’ to 26797. 👉 Here is a video how to do it.
Or visit weall.vote/feminist
What are the deadlines to register in my state? Visit this link for a state by state guide on registration deadlines and vote-by-mail deadlines.
Why are down-ballot Races important?
State & local races determine things that directly impact citizens on a day-to-day basis. Here are some examples of how local and statewide officials effect our daily lives:
Down-Ballot Candidates often become up-Ballot Candidates (i.e. Presidential candidates, senators, and governors)
We have the power to have candidates that share our values and policy choices if we start electing them into office early.
Usually candidates who will eventually run for Senators and governors, even presidents start by running for local positions like a County Commissioner or representative.
Our votes carry the most weight in Local Races
With fewer voters, local races are the easiest to influence.
The outcomes of local elections have a big impact on our daily lives.
Learn more about the importance of down-ballot voting here
2️⃣ Be prepared, vote on the issues that matter most to you
This November, reproductive health, the environment, racial justice, and gun safety is on the ballot. A great place to start to educate yourself about each candidate and position in your state is Ballotpedia.
You can type in the name of your state, and the search engine will generate a list of candidates for state government, local judges, ballot propositions, and more.
Your state'ssecretary of state's office website is another great resource, as that office runs elections. There, you should be able to find sample ballots, registration information, and voter guides.”
This Midterm Election our rights to reproductive healthcare on the ballot in California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, and Vermont. Visit this post to learn about the specific measures on the ballot.
Ballot measures like these, and elected officials will largely determine when, where, and how your community can access reproductive healthcare. That means — no matter where you’re voting this November — you’re voting for your future. From Congress to local government, every vote counts.
◆ Reproductive Health rights Voting Guides:
◆ Environmental Voting Guides:
This is a great resource for tracking and researching environmental bills: Environment and Natural Resources State Bill Tracking Database
◆ Gun Sense Voting Guides
◆ Racial Justice Voting Guides:
Join Black Voters Matter
3️⃣ Know your rights!
Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts, and access disability-related accommodations and language assistance at the polls. For help at the polls, call the non-partisan Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Visit ACLU for more details on what to do if you are in need of help at the polls. (Information below sourced from ACLU)
Here are common Q’s for election day:
📌 What do I bring to the polls?
Each US state has it’s own requirements on what to bring, some require a photo ID some do not. You can find out your state’s requirements at this link.
📌 Can I vote before election day on Nov. 5th, 2024?
Your rights
If you cannot vote in-person on Election Day, you may be able to vote early or by absentee vote-by-mail ballot.
Some states allow any voter to vote absentee; others have stricter requirements.
What to do
Learn about your options to exercise absentee or early voting in your state.
Keep in mind that the deadline to request an absentee ballot may be before Election Day.
📌 What are my rights on election day?
If the polls close while you’re still in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
If you run into any problems or have questions on Election Day, call the Election Protection Hotline:
English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683
📌 What do I do if the poll worker says my name is not on the list of registered voters?
Voters are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if they aren’t in the poll book.
After Election Day, election officials must investigate whether you are qualified to vote and registered. If you are qualified and registered, they will count your provisional ballot.
Here is what to do.
📌 I am a voter with a disability
Under federal law, all polling places for federal elections must be fully accessible to older adults and voters with disabilities. Simply allowing curbside voting is not enough to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements.
In federal elections, every polling place must have at least one voting system that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently. Usually, this is a machine that can read the ballot to you (for people with vision disabilities or dyslexia), and let you vote by pushing buttons (for people with mobility disabilities).
Under federal law, voters with disabilities and voters who have difficulty reading or writing English have the right to receive in-person help at the polls from the person of their choice. This helper cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union. The helper must respect the voter’s privacy, not looking at the voter’s ballot unless the voter asks them to do so.
Election officials (including poll workers) must make reasonable accommodations as needed to help you vote.
Election officials must provide you with help if it’s possible for them to do so.
A voter with a mental disability cannot be turned away from the polls because a poll worker thinks they are not ‘qualified’ to vote.
📌 If you have difficulty speaking and reading english
Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice. This person cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union.
Counties covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act are required to provide bilingual assistance to voters in specific languages. This means that they must provide poll workers who speak certain languages, and make all election materials and election-related information available in those languages. Check whether your county is required to provide bilingual election assistance in a language you speak.
📌 If someone is interfering with your right to vote:
Examples of voter intimidation
Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
Falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
Displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
Other forms of harassment, particularly harassment targeting non-English speakers and voters of color.
Spreading false information about voter requirements.
You do not need to speak English to vote, in any state.
You do not need to pass a test to vote, in any state.
Some states do not require voters to present photo identification.
Your rights
It’s illegal to intimidate voters and a federal crime to “intimidate, threaten, [or] coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of [that] other person to vote or to vote as he may choose.”
What to do if you experience voter intimidation
In many states, you can give a sworn statement to the poll worker that you satisfy the qualifications to vote in your state, and then proceed to cast a ballot.
Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
Report intimidation to your local election officials. Their offices will be open on Election Day.
With this guide you are voter ready! Now it’s time to make a difference with the power of your vote.
See you at the polls!
Register to vote and check registration status here. 🗳
P.S. The last day to vote is November 5th, 2024.
This was brought to you by FEMINIST and artist Autumn Breon.
Autumn Breon is a multidisciplinary artist that investigates the visual vocabulary of liberation through a queer Black feminist lens. Using performance, sculpture, and public installation, Breon invites audiences to examine intersectional identities and Diasporic memory. Learn more here and discover her art here.
