While early voting is well underway in some places, there is still time to make a difference in the 2024 election. Faith teaches us that Big Spirit will work all this craziness out. Action is faith’s beloved sister and seems to go with faith. 

Sadly, we are deeply divided in the United States about what is good and for whom. If you believe in a world where all are equal, and we care for one another, then it’s time to take every action possible to ensure a version of “good” triumphs on November 5. In practical terms, this means Kamala Harris defeats Donald Trump, and the party more committed to equality and justice controls the Senate and House. 

This week’s post shares actions that our friends, as well as Geraldine and I are taking to double down on our bet for a free and just democracy. I have been amazed that there are still many opportunities for small, doable, discrete actions as the election gets closer.  Perhaps, like me, you thought most of the calling, canvassing, and reaching out needs to have been done already. Not so – there are lots of ways to still influence our future. 

Here are some possibilities for your consideration. I mentioned deep canvassing in my post last week. Tali Stopak, a neighbor here in MD, recently went to Philadelphia to do deep canvassing sponsored by a local group (Silver Spring Progressive Action) partnering with Changing the Conversation for Progress.  Tali chose this action because its method is to canvas through storytelling, love and empathy. 

It allowed her to connect more deeply and personally with the people she canvassed.  Although she had a list of doors to visit, she was encouraged to talk to everyone she met on the street. She explained how the canvasser acknowledges that voting is political, and it is also personal. She then, as a canvasser, shared a personal story about someone she loved and the impact this person had on her. She invited the person to tell a story about someone they loved, and she listened attentively. As a canvasser, she pointed out that Trump is not like that person. 

She was canvassing in West Philadelphia where early voting had begun. She helped some people drop off their ballot, and others, to register to vote. Tali heard from some people who don’t plan to vote because they don’t feel heard. She was encouraged by the many people she met who were excited about voting, and “stopping Trump”. 

Tali pointed out deep canvassing requires a time investment in training and being on site. There are many and less time-demanding ways to get involved.

Kay Sohl, a friend in Portland, Oregon was attracted to deep canvassing for similar reasons and is involved in a similar practice in Montana by phone. 

In visiting the Harris/Walz Campaign website, I was impressed by the options available for getting involved in their campaign. Choices include phone calling to encourage voting, providing rides to the poll, and asking those who have already voted to take action to encourage others to vote. Other options include knocking on doors, sharing content, and hosting events. Gerladine and I signed up to attend an online Get Out the Vote Engagement Bootcamp. and will be doing more phone canvassing. 

And, of course, there is giving money. After looking at websites on close races and talking with friends around the country, Gearldine and I decided to give to the Harris-Walz campaign and a handful of close Senate races – Michigan, Ohio, Montana, and our home state of Maryland.

A. Adar Ayira, who is a guest contributor here on racial justice and anti-racism, shared she prefers to go deeper in her analysis, and share the results from polls and policy information, information that most people don’t read and that would give them fuller context about the policies that candidates are proposing, as well as their impacts on historically marginalized groups. She observes that, sadly, a campaign based on white supremacy is not a deal breaker for most whites. And, regardless of who wins, this election — with its normalization of vitriolic personal attacks, the centering of openly white supremacist ideology, in a party platform, and the general war on truth — have all changed this country in ways that make us all losers.

She concludes by suggesting a simple but impactful action: driving people to the polls, especially voters from communities with limited in-person voting options, including ballot drop-boxes; Elders; and voters with disabilities that might make traveling to voting sites more challenging. 

Grizel Ubarry, author of a blog called Limited Limitless Living uses her Thought and Inspiration section to comment on how chaotic this election is; she offers a couple of quotes for direction and hope. From Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” 

The following week from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” 

There is time to influence what happens on November 5. Let’s do everything we can.