Souls to the Polls 2020: Restoring the Soul of the Nation
As the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Report concluded, “no single group of Americans was targeted by [the Russian Internet Research Agencies] information operatives more than African-Americans.” The effort included overt propaganda, recruitment of Americans and organization of “real life” events, and an extensive social media campaign. With this in mind, the DNC has laid out a short list of recommendations specifically for Black Americans to accompany our recommendations set at democrats.org/disinfo.
1. Review the DNC Recommendations for Combating Online Disinformation - General Public
2. Beware of digital voter suppression* techniques, such as:
○ Social posts promoting misinformation about voting (ex. “Vote online,” “text your vote,” “tweet your vote.” etc.)
○ Posts discouraging participation, encouraging third party voting, or “down-ballot only” voting.
○ Intimidation tactics like calls and posts warning of fines or penalties for voting. ○ Report these in-platform and via email to disinfo@dnc.org where you find them.
3. Know the source. Seek transparency in media you consume (Who owns this page? What are their goals?) and avoid anonymous media brands targeting
Black/African-American identity, especially on issues like reparations, criminal justice, immigration, and climate change. Install the NewsGuard browser plugin to help you navigate news sources online.
4. Foreign governments are trying to recruit Black Americans. Beware unsolicited requests for information or services like event organization or digital content creation. Make sure you know or can confirm the identity of everyone you interact with online.
*Digital voter suppression is the use of online services/platforms to distribute inaccurate, misinformation, disinformation, false data, mobile messages, and/or images for the purpose of suppressing the vote during any election season. This is often used in conjunction with or in addition to physical voter suppression activities that have a digital, social networking, technical or mobile component.
· Make a VOTING Plan Sunday: Make your customized plan to VOTE
· Research shows that thinking through a voting plan can increase the likelihood of a voter actually voting by almost 10% - and that’s enough to decide the election
· Once you are registered to vote, it’s critical that you make a plan for when, where, and how they will vote.
· “How” can be voting by mail, voting by drop-box, voting early in person, or voting in person on election day. We recommend voting as early as possible.
· “When” will depend on “How” you choose to vote and the rules of every state should be known for early voting. They can check their Board of Elections or go to www.iwillvote.com.
· “Where” will also depend on “How” you choose to vote. If you are considering a dropbox, visit the Board of Elections to find where they are located. If you’re going to vote by mail, that is your “Where.”
· Make a Voting Plan. Ask yourself:
· Do you know where your polling place is?
· What time will you go vote, i.e., morning, afternoon, or evening?
· Do you know when the voting locations are open?
· How will you get there? Will you walk, drive, or take public transportation? Will you bring others with you? Encourage voting in groups or with family members for accountability.
· Download the IWILLVOTE Presentation HERE that describes how to easily use the website.
Registering to Vote
· www.Iwillvote.com is the go-to source for voting engagement.
· The goal is to make sure every church member is registered to vote AND has a plan to vote.
· Log onto Iwillvote.com, and after choosing your state, members can check to see if they are registered to vote or learn how to register to vote.
Know Your State’s Voting Options
Tracking Websites and Dropboxes. Many states expanded their voting options, including ballot tracking websites and official drop boxes. To find out if they are available in your state, go to www.iwillvote.com.
· Make a VOTING Plan Sunday: Make your customized plan to VOTE
· Research shows that thinking through a voting plan can increase the likelihood of a voter actually voting by almost 10% - and that’s enough to decide the election
· Once you are registered to vote, it’s critical that you make a plan for when, where, and how they will vote.
· “How” can be voting by mail, voting by drop-box, voting early in person, or voting in person on election day. We recommend voting as early as possible.
· “When” will depend on “How” you choose to vote and the rules of every state should be known for early voting. They can check their Board of Elections or go to www.iwillvote.com.
· “Where” will also depend on “How” you choose to vote. If you are considering a dropbox, visit the Board of Elections to find where they are located. If you’re going to vote by mail, that is your “Where.”
· Make a Voting Plan. Ask yourself:
· Do you know where your polling place is?
· What time will you go vote, i.e., morning, afternoon, or evening?
· Do you know when the voting locations are open?
· How will you get there? Will you walk, drive, or take public transportation? Will you bring others with you? Encourage voting in groups or with family members for accountability.
· Download the IWILLVOTE Presentation HERE that describes how to easily use the website.
Registering to Vote
· www.Iwillvote.com is the go-to source for voting engagement.
· The goal is to make sure every church member is registered to vote AND has a plan to vote.
· Log onto Iwillvote.com, and after choosing your state, members can check to see if they are registered to vote or learn how to register to vote.
Know Your State’s Voting Options
Tracking Websites and Dropboxes. Many states expanded their voting options, including ballot tracking websites and official drop boxes. To find out if they are available in your state, go to www.iwillvote.com.
CADDO TAKES STEPS TO KEEP VOTERS SAFE AMID PANDEMIC
