The Midterm Elections are coming up and if you’re based in North Carolina, like Plucky Media is, Early Voting has started. That means it’s time to hit the pavements canvassing or phone-lining, make time to vote, and get excited about it! The past 2 years have been less than delightful, but as a long-time lover of elections and political action, it could not be a more exciting time!
There’s a lot at stake, so here’s a quick guide to make sure you have everything you need and media to consume to get you pumped up!
1. Figure Out What You’re Voting For BEFORE You Get There
When it comes to going to the polls, it’s not as simple as remembering which political party you want to vote for. There are also often votes on nonpartisan officials, knowing more about the reps you’re voting for, and votes on local amendments and laws that you gotta know your stance on. That’s why it’s important to do your research before you get there.
Some Resources:
- If you’re based in NC, I definitely recommend Jeff Jackson’s Medium Article that breaks down all the Amendments up for a vote, so that they’re a bit more understandable. He’s my favorite Politician on Twitter (if you remember, he kind of broke the HB2 news as it was happening on Twitter/Facebook).
- Whenever I have political questions, Ballotpedia is probably the most helpful. It’s a great way to research candidates. You can also look up your ballot and get information on each of the choices.
But it’s your vote, use your best judgment! There are tons of resources out there!
Once you know what the plan is, go out and do it! I’ve never not Early Voted for any Election I’ve voted in (yes I’m a baby) and if it’s something that’s available to you, go do it now! In addition, if there are any crazy laws preventing your vote that you need to know about, figure out your situation ASAP (it sucks but racist voter id or even address laws are a reality). That way, on Election Day, you can just watch the news all day, filled with dread, without worrying about the polls closing on you.
2. Get Involved!
If you’re like me, you get phone calls every day asking you to come out and help with phones, canvassing, or whatever. Though, there are tons of ways to get involved! Hit the pavement, call some people, drive people to the polls, and there are even virtual opportunities as well.
With Crooked Media’s Vote Save America campaign, you can learn about your ballot and get involved. You can browse all the opportunities here.
3. Become Inspired
We are an entertainment blog, so what would we be if we didn’t offer you some TV shows, movies, and Podcasts to pump you up for the election? It’s not required, but a great way to have fun and get inspired:
- Election– It’s Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, need we say more? It has all that student election drama plus some other stuff that we don’t know if it aged well or not, to fill you with all the intensity of Tracy Flick for getting to the polls.
- Parks and Recreation– Leslie Knope is perfect and she’s perfect for filling you with hope of what passionate public servants could do to improve the future. It’s just sweet and I think we need that.
- Veep– You know the opposite of what Parks and Recreation makes you feel? You’re snarky and dirty and you hate everyone but we’re all part of this machine together? That’s the itch that Veep scratches.
- Keep It– Keep it, like Pod Save America, is under the Crooked Media umbrella. It’s one of my favorite podcasts that happens to cover everything that happens in the week. It’s not all politics but it’s a great injection of current events to keep you ready. Listen to it here.
- Hamilton– Okay, I’m basic, we know this— but when’s the last time you listened to Hamilton? With the Mix-Tape also around, it’s the perfect time to listen to all the songs about politics and get re-invigorated.
Those are just a couple ways to get started! We hope to see you at the polls and that you’re as excited about the election as we are. Let’s do it!