Election Tips & Tricks!
As a community of LGBTQ+ Christians and allies, Q Christian Fellowship aims to prophetically model a world where all LGBTQ+ people are fully loved by family, church, and community, and Christians worldwide live up to their calling to be instruments of grace and defenders of the outcasts. In order to fully act out that mission, we must engage with the political process to make sure we advocate for love, justice and mercy to prevail in the social context that we live in.
So as we enter the final stretch before election day in the United States, when every vote counts as we consider not only the 2024 presidential election but also our engagement in local elections as well.
Therefore, it is very important that you have a voting plan so your voice can be heard! Here is a helpful checklist that can help you make sure you are all set to vote on election day:
Make sure you registered to vote!
Not registered? You can still register, even on election day, in the following states: Alaska*, California, Colorado, Connecticut*, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina*, North Dakota*, Rhode Island*, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Do you have the necessary photo identification?
A state issued driver’s license or ID card, a US passport, or a U.S. Military ID card will work in most states. You can click on your state here to see a full list of photo identification that will be accepted at the polls.
Do you know who you are voting for?
You may know who you are voting for president, but what other races are on your ballot this year? You can see what races you are voting for - including each candidate's answers to particular issues - by going here.
Do you know where to go to vote or requested an absentee ballot?
You can enter your address here to find your voting locations and ballot drop offs locations.
Do you know when you are going to vote?
Early voting is a great opportunity to cast your vote if you have to work on election day and you are wanting to avoid long lines. However, we have seen early voting lines to be long as everyone gets ready to cast their vote this year. Voting early also allows you to volunteer on election day!
47 of the 50 states have an option for early voting in the 2024 election. Early voting is not available in Mississippi, Alabama, and New Hampshire.
36 of the 50 states have an option to mail your ballot for all voters. The remaining 14 states require an eligible reason to vote by mail.
Bonus: Volunteer before or on Election Day!
If you have voted early, did not get registered on time or really want to make sure as many people get to the polls as possible to have their voice heard, then please consider volunteering before election day! Here are some ways that you can help:
Make calls for the campaign you are supporting and speak directly to voters to help them make sure they have what they need. You can google “phone banking for ____” to see how to make those phone calls through election day.
Go door to door to talk to voters in your community about what issues are important to them and help your neighbors make a plan to go vote! You can do this on your own or you can see if your area political party has organized any collective events to go knock on doors!
Sign up to be a poll watcher! The role of a poll watcher is to observe and monitor the election, without violating voter privacy or disrupting the election. Each state has its own laws and procedures on when and where observers can be present, as well as who can observe the election. You can see your state's rules on poll watchers here.
Drive people to the polls! You can post on your social media to see if any of your friends or family members need a ride to the polls. You can also look up to see if there are any local organizations who are organizing rides within your community.
*Represents states that you can register to vote day of election day with restrictions. You can see those restrictions here.
