Yes, Baba - we are hearing here on the ground in the US that with Georgia's new rules demanding "exact match" of signatures, they are essentially tossing any ballots they want to for "poor penmanship". Very ironic when one considers that over the last decade or so, we've all learned to NOT sign things the same way every time to help protect from identity fraud. My hubby has taken to drawing an abstract butterfly when asked to sign things... I suggest you contact the ACLU of Georgia and see if you can actually be a resource to them - they'll need witnesses.
I have written directly to the person in charge, now that I know who it is and emphasized that time is short and that I am paying attention to this. I am out of town for a few days and if they haven’t responded by then, I will report it to the ACLU and anyone else that I can think of who might be able to light a fire under their bottoms in order to get clarity and have our votes count.
Has anyone else felt for the last several days like something big is building? It certainly is a trying time to be an empath!
Sadly, just in the last hour, I received an email from the local consulate telling us overseas voters that they are hearing about widespread issues with overseas Americans not being able to access their state’s voter resources or download ballots due to geoblocking and giving instructions on what to do if that is the case. Luckily, that was not a problem for us. Additionally, the following article was just posted on The Hill: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/412195-georgia-purged-more-than-100000-people-from-voter-rolls-because-there-didnt
More voter suppression in Georgia apparently...?
This level of voter suppression is appalling but not surprising. As Bright Opal got in her channelled message last September, people have to Fight! Fight! Fight! This means that more pe0ple have to do as Baba is doing - fight to have their votes counted. And drive that elderly neighbor to the polls on Election Day.
So everyone knows - LYFT is offering free rides to polls on election day for anyone who needs them. Not sure about Uber...
Baba - besides ACLU, contact the League of Women Voters , and also the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights - they have a Voting Rights program and in fact are also starting litigation: https://lawyerscommittee.org/project/voting-rights-project/
Please also reach out to ProPublica (aka the only truly independent news org in the US) - they want to know about this stuff - this is for anyone who is experiencing difficulty voting up to and through election day (and after, too):
https://www.propublica.org/article/voters-help-us-report-on-voting-problems-during-the-midterm-elections
https://www.propublica.org/article/voter-purges-what-georgians-heading-to-the-polls-need-to-know
ProPublica is doing great work. I've participated in interviews for a couple of their articles. The journalists are wonderful, what's funny is I don't think most of them view themselves as light warriors, but they certainly are!
Can we get a read on what everyone is seeing for Nov 6 results? I keep seeing some progress in the House, but not a true blue wave...
I'd also suggest that everyone take a moment right now to verify that your name has not been dropped from the voting registration system. It's easy to do this. Just go to this site, look up your state's voter registration office (listed at the bottom of the page), and you'll be able to check that your registration is still current.
https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
Don't assume that you are still registered to vote. In 2016, my son had been registered to vote at the same address for 10 years and had voted in other elections with no problem. When he showed up to vote in 2016, he was told at the polling station that his name was no longer on the rolls (and yes, he was at the correct polling station). While he was allowed to cast a provisional ballot he had to go through the steps of re-registering to get his name back on voter registration rolls. He was never able to find out why he had been dropped from the voter registration system.
It only takes a few moments to check that you are registered. Do this today to avoid any surprises on election day.
Very good advice Rosie. I went to vote in the primary and was told I wasnt registered yet my wife still was. When asked how this happened, they said they kick off those who didnt vote in the previous election(wife and I both did....together) so if what I was told was true, my vote was thrown out and I was never notified.
The more love you give, the more love you have. When you light someone else’s torch with your own, you don’t lose your fire, you just make more light and more heat.”
- Natalie Portman, actress & activist
Thanks to all of you for all the useful advice concerning this election. I have learned so much in the last couple of years about things I once just took for granted.
The above quote was from an email I received about this year’s Variety Power of Women luncheon. Natalie Portman put into words what I have been feeling. We need to bring all our matches to this bonfire. I was wondering if anyone would like to commit to taking maybe five minutes each day until the election to ask the angels, guides, universe, or whatever your beliefs are for protection for the candidates, campaign workers, voters and the election itself. Then imagine light across America. Also ask that blinders fall off of our fellow citizen’s eyes so that they can see through the smoke screen. Don’t ask for harm to others as that makes your prayer into a hex. Just that justice and light will prevail. Maybe put a sticky note by your bed or on the bathroom mirror to remind you.
Rosie, thank you so much for posting this. I just checked and it says I am NOT registered, which is absolutely not the case.
When I showed up to vote in the 2008 presidential election, my name had somehow been removed, though my partner—who was living at my address and was new to the state at the time—was able to vote. I'd been a resident of South Carolina for eight years at the time, and had waited in line for a long time to cast my vote, only to discover I was unable to do so. When I was leaving I noticed a fairly sizable group of people gathering in the parking lot. They were all disgruntled over the very same thing, but they shared something else in common. All of these turned-away voters were African Americans. I'm white, but I'd always voted as a Democrat. What's more, I'd been very openly supporting LGBTQ referendums.
I have no way to know whether there was direct sabotage in that instance; my experience was purely anecdotal. But voter suppression is a fact. (And of course, South Carolina has always been a hotbed for it.)
Oh, Laura!
This is wonderful and incredibly helpful for anyone reading here and needing these kinds of newsworthy links or information!
It's incredible to have a lawyer and several others who all work in the legal aide or the legal system conrinuing to post your tips,advice or suggestions on this site!
Many thanks to all of you whether you're working with immigration, or with the resistance movements or with people desperately needing your help and expertise!