Kicking Into High Gear
With the March Primaries only 7 weeks away (yep, only 7!) congregations are ramping up their GOTV efforts and Texas Impact is here to help.
Northhaven United Methodist Church (UMC) in Dallas hosted an event last weekend where 70+ folks gathered to talk about voting, women’s reproductive rights, advocacy, and religious freedom. More than any single topic, it was the vibrant energy and collective commitment of faith community members that stood out. With March elections and then midterms in November, people are gearing up for action. It was downright inspiring!
What can you and your community do to get ready for March 3?
#1 Check your voter registration.
In December, the Texas Secretary of State office, complying with the Trump Administration’s demand for access to data from the nation’s voting records, turned over the state’s voter roll to the U.S. Justice Department. According to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, Texas is one of 13 states who voluntarily agreed to turn over their voter rolls. Other states are resisting, arguing that states are responsible for voter registration and are barred by state and federal law from sharing certain private information about voters. The shared voter information included dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and the last four digits of voters’ Social Security numbers.
Besides the legal concerns, the practical concerns of such an action is that in its attempt to “scrub” the voter rolls of any illegally registered voter, legitimately registered citizens will be inadvertently knocked off the list for things like incorrect mailing addresses or mismatched names (i.e. listing “Tom Jones” rather than “Thomas Jones”.) In fact, Votebeat learned that at least six people flagged as potential noncitizens have confirmed that they are, in fact, U.S. citizens. Checking your voter registration between now and the election on March 3 will increase your chances of correcting any errors if you are mistakenly flagged as a noncitizen.
#2 - Plan how, when, and where you will vote.
Help your congregation/friends/neighbors do the same.
March Matters is Texas Impact’s one-stop place for communities of faith to find everything they need to empower members to vote. On this site you can:
Check your voter registration.
Find your polling place.
Review your ballot.
Download yardsign, flyer, posters, and social media templates that you can customize for your community.
It’s free, trustworthy, and simple. It also contains lots of great information to go deeper and learn more about primaries in general.
#3 - Subscribe to Votebeat and stay informed.
Local news sources are good, but not necessarily as fast and thorough about voting and election developments. Votebeat and the voting guide from the Texas Tribune are my go-to’s for trusted, timely perspectives on what is happening in the world of voting and elections in Texas and the nation. Natalia Contreras, the Votebeat Texas reporter, is a friend of Texas Impact and provides voting advocates the crucial context we need to take sensible, informed action in support of free, fair elections.
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
– John Wooden
By ourselves, the work of advocacy can feel overwhelming. That is why it’s crucial to lean on our faith and one another. We are not alone. We know what to do. It’s now a matter of just doing it. The three steps described above are simple and clear. Take the steps and see for yourself how good it feels!