Newsletter for week of November 3, 2024

This Is It!

We have all been working hard and waiting a looooong time for this election to get here, and there are now only two more days. If you have time or energy to spare on Monday or Tuesday, there are many campaign and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activities, as well as election result watch parties. But first, a run down of election information and voter rights. 

Voting by Mail: It’s too late to use the U.S. mail! Put your completed mail-in ballot in a county drop box by 8pm Central/7pm Mountain on election day, your polling place will not accept it. Be sure to seal and sign the back of your envelope. Some races are won or lost by such a small margin that every single vote matters. You can check the status of your ballot here. 

Voting in Person Dos and Don’ts:

DO

• Double check your polling place 

• Bring photo ID (Nebraska Voter ID FAQ) 

• Make sure you get to the polls 8am-8pm Central/7am-7pm Mountain. STAY IN LINE if you are there before closing time, even if the line is long and you will be voting after 8pm. The rules are that everyone in line by closing time may vote. 

DON’T

• Wear campaign, political party, or ballot issue shirts/buttons/hats to the polls.

• Engage in political discussion or campaigning within 200 feet of the polling place.

• Allow them to turn you away without voting. If you believe you are properly registered and in the right place, ask for a provisional ballot. 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS 

• The ACLU provides this helpful guide that explains your voting rights. There are sections about LGBTQ+ appearance and name changes, languages, disabilities, felony voting rights, and other issues. 

• People with disabilities have the right to accommodations when voting. Read the rules and options beforehand and ask a poll worker if you need assistance. 

• Report any problems by calling the voter protection hotline (402-946-0005) or asking a poll watcher (look for NDP credentials) for help reporting a problem.

GOTV activities 

Monday and Tuesday will be filled with general GOTV efforts, as well as candidate specific activities. Please check the social media and mobilize pages for your favorite candidates, if we have not listed them here. Check our full list of spotlight candidates, if you need ideas. While we tried to gather information from candidates across the state, this is definitely not a comprehensive list. 

Help out Rainbow Parents priority candidate, Senator Jen Day. She has door knocking Monday and Tuesday and sign waving on Tuesday at various locations and times throughout District 49. Email Jon to get connected. 

Wave signs for Rainbow Parents priority candidate, Mary Ann Folchert, at various times and locations in District 31 throughout the day on Tuesday. 

In Hastings, sign up for visibility along Burlington for Michelle Smith for Nebraska. 

Lincoln will have sign waving on Tuesday to campaign for various candidates and to GOTV.  

District 1 Congressional Candidate, Carol Blood, writes: Our campaign could really use some extra help on our phone efforts. The calls are necessary, as we'd like to leave no vote behind. Text 402-517-1446 if you are interested in helping on Monday and/or Tuesday! 

District 2 Congressional Candidate, Tony Vargas, has several canvassing and phone bank opportunities available throughout Douglas and Sarpy Counties. . 

Harris-Walz Election Eve Countdown and Phone Banking Monday night at 5pm in West Omaha. 

Sign planting near polling places in Omaha on Monday evening.  

Election night events 

This is an incomplete list of election night events from communities across the state. There are many watch parties, and one politics-free community care day. We all need to do what feels best on election night. If that means curling up with a book or binging a series, rather than going to an event, do that! 

Omaha For Us 1pm-7:30 for a politics-free time of LGBTQ+ community support and fun. 

Douglas County Democrats, Harris-Walz and NDP election night watch party. 

Lancaster County Democrats, candidates and NDP election night watch party. 

Michelle Smith election night watch party in Hastings at 6pm at Back Alley Bakery. RSVP here

Hall County Grand Island Democrats watch party at the 4th Street Banquet Hall in Grand Island, starting at 7pm. 

ACTION STEPS

1. Decide what you can manage in the next couple days and do what works for you

2. Review your voting options, information, and rights and GO VOTE

3. Take care of yourself with an election night event or intentional self care.

Queer Joy

Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO” is Gen Z’s “YMCA.” If you don’t yet know this song and the motions from 2024’s Queer “It Girl,” this would be a great time to learn. If you really want to make the Queer kids in your life call you cringey, try substituting H-O-T-T-O-V-OTE. 

Chappell Roan - HOT TO GO! (Official Music Video)

Saturday Night Live’s Cold Open from November 2nd is an hilarious election parody. It may be universal joy, and not technically just Queer joy. But we all need to laugh right now, right? . 

2024 Pre-Election Cold Open - SNL

Also, we found this Yes! Magazine article about the art of Queer joy in this political moment. See if this quote strikes you as especially appropriate for this moment: “There are numerous reasons to fight today, but it would be remiss not to center our own joy and livelihood. Queer joy must be a centerpiece to our resistance.” A lot of us have been fighting hard to resist efforts to squash the rights of our Queer kids. But no matter the outcome of all these local, state, and national races, our biggest responsibility as parents will be to help our children experience the joy of being Queer, and not just the difficulties.

Take care of yourselves this week, friends, and be sure to spend time enjoying your fabulous, unique, and beloved babies. We’ll see you on the other side.