Pennsylvania Stands Up engages in “deep canvassing,” which involves starting with personal stories and having extended conversations with voters. It claims the technique is much more effective than what it calls “the average Presidential persuasion program.”
Turn PA Blue is seeking volunteers to canvass, call and text potential voters, write postcards and more to deliver the state to Biden and to establish a Democratic majority in the State Legislature. Control of state legislatures can be crucial in a contested election, where the bodies may theoretically have a say in how to apportion Electoral College votes.
There are obviously many more battleground states. A good way to locate efforts by state — or by other preference — is to use the site mobilize.us, a virtual bulletin board of left-leaning activities from the hyperlocal to the national.
Vote, volunteer, hope for the best but prepare for skulduggery.
Mr. Biden appears to be leading in nearly all of the polls, but that doesn’t mean his supporters should be complacent. Remember that Hillary Clinton got nearly three million more votes than Mr. Trump in 2016, but still lost. To decisively win, Democrats need high turnout, particularly in battleground states.
What about the sore-loser scenario, in which Mr. Biden wins but President Trump refuses to accept the outcome? You can prepare for peaceful mass mobilization through Protect the Results, organized by the progressive organizations Stand Up America and Indivisible. It’s one way to stay apprised of plans.
Sean Eldridge, the founder and president of Stand Up America, told me: “This is an unusual election. It’s not an Election Day. It’s an election season.” What he meant is that voting is just one step of several that you can take over the coming weeks to support our democracy.
So harness that election season anxiety and put it to good use helping your fellow Americans vote. You may find that taking action restores your hope in this divided country. If nothing else, it may be good for your mental health.
Moises Velasquez-Manoff, the author of “An Epidemic of Absence: A New Way of Understanding Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases,” is a contributing opinion writer.
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