Joe Biden is officially, officially, the winner of the 2020 presidential election. This opens up so many doors for our future as a nation, and gives us bright prospects of beating this pandemic and healing our economy. However, our country’s balance of power makes it difficult to see real progress without Biden’s party also having full control of the Senate. Currently, the power of the senate lies in the fate of two specific senate seats- both in the state of Georgia, and both up for grabs in a runoff election on January 5.
Having Joe Biden in office is a HUGE win for liberal and progressive values, but gaining these Georgia seats is nearly essential for our success in the next two years. Thanks to organizations like Fair Fight Action, a million new voters were registered in Georgia since the 2016 election (Source). These new voters made an impact- flipping the state blue for the first time since 1992 when Bill Clinton was elected (Source). Grassroots organizations are still pounding the pavement to register young voters and voters of color in the days leading up to the January 5 runoff to elect Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Reverend Warnock.
Why we love Jon Ossoff: In the 2017 special election for Georgia’s sixth district seat, Jon doubled youth voter turnout from the previous midterm election and inspired the highest Democratic voter turnout since before 2010, all at the young age of 29. He was endorsed by Congressman John Lewis and Georgia State Legislative Black Caucus Chair Rep Karen Bennett. Ossoff promises to fight hard for wide-sweeping climate legislation, affordable healthcare, and LGBTQ rights.
Why we love Reverend Warnock: In his website’s own words, “Reverend Warnock believes his impact does not stop at the church door, and has been an advocate to expand health care coverage and to ensure hardworking Georgians can make a living wage.” Having been endorsed by both Fair Fight Action and Voter Protection Project, Reverend Warnock pledges to honor his mentor John Lewis’ legacy by fighting to restore the Voting Rights Act. He also believes in putting an end to mass incarceration through criminal justice reform, uphold Roe V. Wade and women’s rights to reproductive health care, and invest in education from preschool age and on.
So with that in mind, here are some ways you can help in the fight to elect Jon Ossoff and Reverend Warnock to the U.S. Senate!
- Georgia residents register to vote!!!
If you live in Georgia and are 18 years of age or older, you can make the most direct impact by registering to vote as soon as possible. Early voting is available from Dec 14- Jan 1, and of course you can vote on election day, January 5. Click here to see if you are eligible and find how to register: https://georgia.gov/register-to-vote . You can also volunteer to become a Poll Worker, at: https://www.powerthepolls.org !
- Talk to family and friends
If you know anyone who is eligible to vote in Georgia, talk to them about their plan to vote in this runoff election. When people hear that this election will sway the whole Senate majority, they realize how much their vote truly matters! Speak to your family and friends who live in Georgia, and even other people in your life who may have their own family and friends in Georgia and can remind them to vote.
- Phone Bank
If, like me, you aren’t a Georgia resident, there are still many ways to join in the fight. One of my favorite ways to make change from a distance is through phone banking. By calling and having meaningful conversations with voters, you can make a huge difference in the outcome of an election while also having the chance to see your individual impact. Best of all, you’ll be on a Zoom session with other phone bankers at the same time, which makes for really special team comradery. Visit here to sign up for a phone banking session.
- Donate
If you’re able, a financial donation can really help further efforts to register new voters and encourage people to get out the vote. You can donate directly to Jon Ossoff’s campaign , Reverend Warnock’s campaign , or to Fair Fight Organization led by Stacey Abrams
Happy Voting!!
Written by Brady Reiter, Instagram @bradyreiter Twitter @BradyReiterActs
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