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As Election Day draws near, it’s important to educate yourself about what’s on the ballot, register to vote (and check and double-check your registration status TBH), and commit to making your voice heard by Nov. 5. In the meantime, contributing to causes and candidates you care about through ActBlue, the nonprofit fundraising platform, solidifies that your involvement in this election will be impactful and help make a difference.
Even though you’re doing *so* much already, you may be wondering how else you can be involved in the upcoming election. Here are our top tips on how to help make change this election season (in addition to voting, duh).
Check that your BSFs are registered to vote
You’ve ensured that you’re ready to vote in this election, but have you checked that the people around you — your BSFs, your lab partner, your roomie — are all registered to vote, too? Take it one step further and ask if they have an Election-Day voting plan! Offer to help check their polling location and map out the walk there. And if they’re planning to vote by mail or absentee ballot, make sure they know the important deadlines.
Make small donations to causes you care about
You know how sometimes those small $3 treats add up? Well, think about how much money it would add up to if you and your friends each contributed $3 to a candidate or a cause you care about (like a local candidate, an abortion fund, or an organization fighting to advance LGBTQIA+ rights). Just like those many $3 treats add up, many $3 donations also add up! So even if you only have a dollar to donate, that dollar can still make a difference.
Use social media
The next time you’re scrolling on your phone and getting ready to make a social post, think about how you can use your platform to share info about the election and voter registration, and discuss key issues that are important to you. Your followers obvi love to see what your cute puppy did at the park the other day, but it could be helpful to a first-time voter to learn something new about the election from a peer.
Organize a fundraiser on campus
Do you want to encourage your fellow students to care about gun control? Are you fighting for social justice and equality? ActBlue’s community forms — secure, customizable pages you can use to raise money for the campaigns or issues you care about — make it easy to start a fundraiser on campus to raise awareness and money for the progressive causes important to you. Sharing a community form is as easy as copying and pasting a URL in a social media post, text, and email, or creating a QR code so people can scan it and donate on the go. Just be sure to add a strong call to action, which is key to encouraging people to donate! Learn more about hosting your own fundraiser by hitting the button below.
Listen to an inspiring podcast
To break out of your doomscrolling cycle, try listening to something inspirational, like ActBlue’s podcast, Build the Change. This feel-good podcast showcases stories from activists, organizers, and influencers across the country who are using their platforms to make a difference in their local communities. TBH, listening to a few episodes may just inspire you to get involved in your own community!
Now that you have other ways to get involved in the election, you can inspire the people around you to take action, too! Learn more about ActBlue by heading to ActBlue.com.