How to Help With the Election Today If You've Already Voted

Photo: Sam Aronov (Shutterstock)

Today is the day. After four unbelievably long years, we finally have another chance to vote in a presidential election. But if you participated in some form of early voting, today might feel a little anticlimactic. What are you supposed to do with all your nervous energy if you aren’t waiting in line to vote? If you happen to have time on your hands today, here are four ways you can help that are more productive than refreshing Twitter every 30 seconds and/or ripping off your cuticles.

Volunteer

If you’ve been meaning to volunteer to get out the vote but never got around it, today’s your last chance. If you’re looking for a project, civic-action group Friends Vote Together has put together a spreadsheet, continuously updated with opportunities to volunteer for phone banking, text banking, canvassing, and ballot curing. You can also follow the organization on Instagram, where they’ll continue to share ways to get involved, answer questions, and help you take action. Additionally, Vote Save America also provides information on ways to get involved today.

Contact friends and family

Take a few minutes to text and/or call your friends and family members to remind them to vote. Maybe they lost track of the day and really want to vote, but don’t realize it’s Election Day. If nothing else, they’ll (hopefully) appreciate hearing from you.

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Another option is to send an encouraging message to someone you know plans to vote today. Here is a sample template, courtesy of Cate Mayer, founder and CEO of Friends Vote Together:

“I am so excited that you are voting today. I hope you have a safe and easy experience. If you see voter intimidation or have any trouble, call the nonpartisan hotline number (866-687-8683). I am so proud of you for being a voter. Can’t wait to hear how your voting experience goes!”

Drive people to the polls

For some people, getting to the polls to vote can be a challenge. Not everyone has a car, access to public transit, or lives within walking distance of their voting location. Mayer suggests starting by asking your family, friends, and neighbors if they need a ride to the polls. You can also get involved by volunteering through organizations like Rideshare2Vote or posting on Nextdoor or on a local social media page.

Support people waiting in line

Just because you’re not waiting in line to vote today, that doesn’t mean you can’t head down there and make things easier for your fellow voters. If you live in Philadelphia, Miami, Denver, or Phoenix, you can still sign up to volunteer for Feed the Polls, an organization that plans to deliver 40,000 meals to 60 polling locations in 15 states. Pizza to the Polls is another option. Just snap a photo of a polling place with a particularly long line, request pizza, and then facilitate the distribution once it arrives.

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