I plan on voting first thing in the morning on election day. We don’t have early voting here, or would already have voted. I’d encourage all of you to vote as early as possible. Stuff comes up later that gets in the way sometime.
Also, if you’ve got any good stories about canvassing and phone-banking and sending post-cards and convincing friends to vote, tell them here.
Finally, let’s finish off our goal for the Balloon Juice More More More fund (split among 47 candidates chosen by the readers — you can just do one or two if you want to avoid too many mailing lists).
Thanks a lot to everyone who’s given so much already. We are closing in on 350K this cycle.
germy
Doug! have you seen this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnRKwTKgRy0
JohnPM
I voted the first day of early voting here in Illinois. All Democrats. All the Republican ads are hilarious. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Mike Madigan was running for Governor, attorney general and every Congressional seat.
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
I won’t be voting first thing, since I’m going to be handing out sample ballots for the first four hours of voting.
Haroldo
My wife and I just voted. And we’ve given (and will give more).
Barbara
I hope to canvass the weekend before Election Day, but I want to canvass somewhere outside of my district which is not competitive. In the meantime, I have to finish my goal of writing 300 postcards and get them in the mail by October 31.
Also, OT, but I let the ads come on and many of them are pet related. That makes me happy.
boatboy_srq
“Gunpowder, treason and plot”?
Well, we’re finding the bombs, so there’s the gunpowder; treason is pretty broadly hinted after 2016; and the plot is Mueller’s to uncover (yielding yet more treason). So I suppose you’re right.
randy khan
This is a good time to reiterate the emails I’ve been getting about making a plan to vote. It seems silly, but there’s research that says it actually increases voting if you plan when you’re going to do it, etc. I’m not so much thinking of jackals, who as a group seem as determined to vote as Democratic women in northern Virginia were last year, but it’s something to consider spreading around your social circle, especially on social media.
Taking Out Just Enough To Win
Grrrrrr. I don’t like what the betting markets are saying.
(a positive number means the person is the underdog. The “more positive” the bigger the dog)
Sinema +135
McSally -175
Nelson -135 (slight favorite)
Scott -105
McCaskill +110
Hawley -150
Tester -280
Rosendale +200
Rosen +105
Heller -145
Bredesen +350
Blackburn -530
O’Rourke +450
Cruz -750
There were no numbers for Donnelly & Heitkamp. Casey, Menendez, Manchin, Tina Smith & Kaine are heavy favorites.
Governor races of interest:
Abrams +135
Kemp -175
Hubbell -260
Reynolds +180
Kelly +160
Kobach -210
Sisolak -155
Laxalt+115
Cordray -105
DeWine -135
Evers -170
Walker +130
The Gillum/DeSantis race wasn’t listed.
efgoldman
not ceady etfwwlingmu b better
dmsilev
Do we have to wear those silly masks? Please say no.
gwangung
Ballot mailed in, received AND counted.
efgoldman
not dead yet hello jackals all.Backtpghew
jacy
Had two different clients apologize to me yesterday for not getting back to me quicker because they were canvassing for Beto. In the rain.
Wish there was more I could do locally, but I’m writing postcards for other states.
J R in WV
I really like voting in our rural precinct, in the Pre-K-middle school gym. We get to see the same folks as poll workers, usually chat if it isn’t busy, very low-key.
One year there was quite a line, we sat on the bottom bleacher seat and scooted over as people got up to be escorted to their voting booths. That was amusing, it was indoors, people mostly knew each other and chatted – we’re from away, so we don’t know as many folks as the people who grew up here and never left so, but still, people are friendly.
But as I said to the wife, if we early vote, then if an airliner crashes into the house, we still got to vote. But if we early vote, we miss that polling place feeling. Hard choice. Really !!
efgoldman
might mae it to xxms
J R in WV
@germy:
And that’s a great ad… “I just thought you should know” with the opponent candidate condemned from his own mouth. Sweet!!
Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
West of the Cascades
Ballot mailed in, received, promised to be counted here in Oregon. Hope the new Democratic Senate in NYS institutes early voting for Doug!
And that, eventually, the Democrats at the federal level can pass a nationwide all-vote-by-mail law for federal congressional offices for President Gillibrand’s signature. I think that would pass muster under Article I, Section 4, and might lead most states to implementing vote-by-mail for all elections:
Section 4. The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators.
Steve in the ATL
I voted this morning (can upload a photo of the “I’m A Georgia Voter” sticker if you have doubts). I have been delighted to be canvassed multiple times (four voters in my household) in person, plus multiple texts, multiple glossy flyers, and one postcard.
One thing I would like to see, and I have said this in response texts, is a voting guide for the constitutional amendments and referenda. They are ridiculously hard to read even though I pretend to be a lawyer on the internet, and often intentionally confusing. The Georgia Democratic party could easily put something on its website translating them into plain English, identifying the sponsors and backers of each, and maybe even a yes or no recommendation.
efgoldman
I voted absentee
chris
Turnout goals.
A guy can wish, right?
efgoldman
needmuliple moderation
MazeDancer
350K is a whole lotta Balloon-Juice Bucks. Way to go!
Between now and Monday, we will be concentrating on pouring on the PostCard volume for BJ Candidates Heidi Heitkamp and Antonio Delgado. Cards for Delgado can be mailed through Wed.
Then, there will be a bunch of Countdown to Election Day GOTV opportunities posted on the site. With a focus on texting. Because PostCard Patriots was founded, in part, because not everyone can canvas.
And if anyone has a particular Armchair Activism they would like posted, just send to me through the “Contact” form on the site. Click on nym. Or PostCardPatriots.com
japa21
Mrs Japa and I will be early voting tomorrow. I’ll be at the polls at 5 AM on election day because I am an election judge. When you vote, try to say thank you to the judges who are working the polls. Most are putting in 15 hours or more on election day. This will be my fourth time and it is always nice to see voters come in with a box of donuts or something for the judges.
Gelgling 545
And unfortunately we can relevantly add the second line: gunpowder, treason and plot.
Gelfling 545
Damn. Misspelled my nym so in moderation.
SiubhanDuinne
@Steve in the ATL:
As of this year, the stickers in Gwinnett are different. Still the peach (slightly different image) but with bilingual “I voted / Yo voté” and no mention of Georgia. I put up a photo of mine on my FB page the other day.
Fully and enthusiastically endorse your suggestion of a plain-English (or plain-Spanish in Gwinnett) voter’s guide to amendments and proposals and referenda.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I don’t expect I’ll sleep much the night of Nov. 6. That will bookend nicely with my sleepless night on Election Night 2016 that began with joy and ended with shock and disbelief, not able to cope with the thought of going to sleep and then waking up in Trumpworld.
This time, though I fully expect fuckery by the Republicans EVERYWHERE, I remain cautiously optimistic and will be watching the races everywhere, for Congress, for Senate, for Governors, for State Legislatures, for anything I can find a link to. With a bottle of bubbly next to me (non-alcoholic) for when I’m sure we found the portal back to our normal timeline. Or, for you Zelazny Amber fans, our home Shadow.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
Hello! Fuckem! Are you back amongst us?
Amir Khalid
@efgoldman:
Good to see you back. It’s always better around here with you.
Steve in the ATL
@efgoldman: hard to type with that Fentanyl drip going, eh?
Welcome back!
J R in WV
@Steve in the ATL:
I would, here in WV, like both a Democratic explanation of proposed amendments, levys, etc, and also a list of “independent” judicial candidates, along with their work history, political history as in registration and changes with dates, etc.
There are two unscheduled Supreme Court vacancies, which the SoS(R) decided to designate Group 1 and Group 2 even though every gets to vote for both sets of candidates. There are 20 candidates in total for the two vacancies. Most are former corporate support lawyers who have been partners in firms that, for example, oppose injured employees receiving workers comp benefits after on the job injuries.
I will never vote for a scumbag like that !!! They have nothing as a floor below which they will not stoop!
One candidate was formerly lawyer for a United Pipe Union group, pipe fitters, boilermakers, plumbers, etc. I would vote for that guy. But weeding out and discovering who these guys really are is difficult, and someone should do it for all of us. I can look up who these lawyers have contributed to, which is a clue as to whether they are really Rs or Ds or (shockingly) Independent. I’m thinking none of them are Independent, really.
WaterGirl
@efgoldman: EF! There you are! So happy to see you.
la caterina
@efgoldman: Great to see you here!
Hungry Joe
This Sunday we’re hosting a phone-banking/postcard-writing party for Ammar Campa-Naijjar (running against Duncan Hunter Jr. in CA-50). We’re expecting 15-20 people. Ammar is still a long shot, but not a Hail Mary. Volunteers’ enthusiasm is intense — as is the disgust for Hunter. The district is blood red, but with enough GOTV we might pull this off.
Just to the north, CA-49 — Issa’s seat — is a mortal lock to flip, as polls have Mike Levin 12 points up. And just north of THAT, in southern Orange County, Harley Rouda is 2 1/2 points up on Dana Fucking Rohrabacher.
WaterGirl
@J R in WV: I miss my old voting place. Voted there since 1987, then with their gerrymandering, they split my district right down the middle of my street, and now I have to vote at a place where I have no connection and don’t know any of the people. So it’s an easy decision to vote early.
I say you guys should vote early and you can still make a trip over to your voting location on election day, and maybe bring some goodies along.
sheila in nc
@Steve in the ATL: North Carolina, to its credit, published a bipartisan paper voting guide with full explanations of the six proposed state constitutional amendments plus candidate statements for all the judicial races. It’s really well done, although how many voters will actually read it, I couldn’t tell you.
As an example, here is what the voter will see on the ballot:
Ballot Question — For — Against
Constitutional amendment to reduce the income tax rate in North Carolina to a maximum allowable rate of seven percent (7%)
Here is the official explanation in the voter guide:
The current maximum personal and corporate income
tax rate in our State Constitution is 10%. This proposed
amendment makes the new limit 7%.
This proposed amendment does not reduce your current
taxes. It does not change the current individual income
tax rate of 5.499%, and it does not change the current
corporate income tax rate of 3%. Instead, it limits how
much the state income tax rate could go up.
This proposed amendment applies only to state income
taxes. It does not affect sales taxes, property taxes, or
federal taxes.
Income taxes are one of the ways State government
raises the money to pay for core services such as public
education, public health, and public safety.
The proposed amendment does not include any
exceptions. Therefore, in times of disaster or recession,
the State could have to take measures such as cutting
core services, raising sales taxes or fees, or increasing
borrowing.
Coming into the voting booth, seeing just the language on the ballot without any of the additional context in the voter guide, gives the voter a very different idea of what he/she is voting for!
WaterGirl
@efgoldman: What do you mean “might>?????”
Hopefully it’s your version of Mark Twain’s reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Elizabelle
@efgoldman: Christmas 2040, make that.
Great to see you back! And voted!
Hungry Joe
Campa-NAJJAR. Edit function frozen.
schrodingers_cat
@Taking Out Just Enough To Win: Your source?
artem1s
@randy khan: I voted yesterday. I try to make a list of the judges before I go to the polls so I know enough to vote based on something other than name recognition. I found a website that finds all the candidates and issues that will be on your ballot, gives you information on them, allows you to mock vote and then sends you a link to your vote so you can review it on your phone at the polls. It’s a great tool.
https://www.vote411.org/
cynthia ackerman
Have been working behind the scenes in my local (Wasco County) Oregon CD2 Jamie McLeod-Skinner GOTV push.
I take pleasure and pride in successful efforts to recruit, train, and motivate new canvassers and office help as we head into the home stretch. Mail-in ballots have been coming in for ten days now, and the ground game is narrowing in a way that is encouraging, focused on low-probability voters who seem to be responding better than hoped.
Chickens, hatch, etc., but I remain cautiously optimistic that JMS can pull this off, for a huge upset.
But even in defeat, the machinery is getting built and warmed up (for the first time ever in OR2’s Dems) for when it’s needed again. If that’s the worst case, it’s still very gratifying. We are energized and sending a clear message to the “safe Republican seat” orthodoxy.
Steve in the ATL
@sheila in nc: wow–that is excellent!
One of the items on our ballot would establish a business court modeled on the NC version. It’s a stupid idea for us, however, as our courts don’t operate like yours.
[for lawyers who want the explanation: in NC state courts, cases are assigned to dockets rather than to judges. Therefore, you might have a hearing on your case in front of Judge Abel, and then a month later a hearing in front of Judge Baker who is the motions judge that day, who knows nothing about the case other than what’s on the paper in his file, and a year later go to trial in front of Judge Charlie. In most states, one judge has the whole case, and thus knows the issues and history.]
J R in WV
@efgoldman:
Holly Trees !!! He’s back, nearly !!!!
Congratulations on making it to another election, one more chance to stand up against the machine, to ignore Faux News, to do the right thing!!!
Hope you’re felling OK, also too, thanks for taking the time to say hey!
We missed you, many others have said Fuck’em, but it wan’t the same!
J R in WV
@MazeDancer:
And if other folks are like us, we have contributed far more via ActBlue than via the B-J Thermometers DougJ has put up over the election cycle. I don’t know the numbers, and there are so many contributions when they’re 50$ split 50 ways, back before I knew better, doing a spreadsheet will be really hard.
I’m going to do one come mid-November just to see how hard we pushed who with our limited funds.
All those $1 donations (Thanks DougJK!) will, on our spreadsheet, be booked to DougsBaby ! No way Imma gonna track the individual $1 donations to candidates I don’t know even where they’re from…
J R in WV
@WaterGirl:
That’s a great and positive thought for which I am grateful. But non-voters are not legally allowed into a polling place, technically, so we would have to drop off snacks to someone on the outside headed in to vote. Actually, these folks know their job and will have a crockpot full of pulled pork BBQ, hotdogs, desserts, etc.
Haroldo
@efgoldman: Welcome back, Mr. G.
VFX Lurker
I voted last week via Vote-by-Mail here in Southern California. I have also written 250+ postcards for Harley Rouda thanks to Postcard Patriots, with a 65-postcard side quest for Stacey Abrams from Postcards to Voters. I will write and mail 51 more postcards for Rouda this week.
At least two co-workers are also writing postcards to Rouda. It feels good helping out. So grateful to Maze Dancer and Balloon Juice for introducing me to postcard GOTV!
RedDirtGirl
I’ve been sending postcards to democratic voters.
Shana
@efgoldman: YEAH!
Shana
@J R in WV: I always bring my leftover halloween candy
WaterGirl
@J R in WV: Oh well. No one does food at the polling stations here.
Luthe
I’ve had some good luck canvassing out here in western CT. Enthusiastic voters, some of whom were happy to be recruited as volunteers. I’ve only been chased off by one Republican. Of course, I’m working from the Dem/Unaffiliated list, but still.
Doing more GOTV this weekend!
Geoduck
Here in WA, I see that the GOPers just dumped a load of ad-money into the 3rd District, which is one of the ones on the Balloon Juice list. Glad to see they’re getting nervous. If you live in the district, get out and vote for Carolyn Long!