Mike’s Mailbag

With 13 Days Left, Readers Share What They’re Doing to Get Friends and Nonvoters to the Polls

This is Agnes and two of her voting buddies. She sent this photo to me in response to my Substack letter yesterday, urging all of you to vote in packs and vote in numbers. My challenge to all of us is simple: Reach out to 3 people you know who are usually not active voters — and often “Non-Voters” — and get them to vote, even if it’s just this once. I’ve already heard back from many of you who are doing just that and I wanted to share some of these stories with everyone as proof that we can win this thing hands down. 

Carolyn told me that immediately after reading my letter, she got in touch by text and by phone with friends in Florida, Connecticut and Indiana. Another reader, Don, also wasted no time. “Done,” he wrote, “All I did was just ask. That simple.”

It’s that simple! We all know people who don’t vote. They say they’re not into politics.  Here’s what I say to them:

“You may not be into politics, but politics is VERY into you. Politics is right now allowing companies to jack up their prices so you will have to pay more. Politics is reducing taxes for the rich in order to make you pay more. Politics is planning to send your kids off to the next war in the Middle East. Politics has decided if you find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, you will be forced now by law to carry that fertilized egg for a full nine months and birth a baby, whether you want to or not. That’s politics. Not interested? Trust me, it’s so interested in you, it’s already planning to raise your rent, freeze your wages, cut your vacation time, increase your deductible, close your neighborhood library and have you pay off your student loan every month until you’re 50.  Politics prays to God every night that you will stay uninterested in politics so they can get away with murder. The day you decide to become interested in politics will be the worst day of every politician’s life.”

But I get it. These nonvoters don’t feel like they have a voice, plus they’re busy, they don’t have time, they’re creeped out by all the screaming and the arguing and the weird DC haircuts and the glowing white Capitol Hill teeth. Here’s the thing: We don’t have to convince these folks that they’re wrong about any of that, we just have to get them to see what’s at stake for Women, for People of Color, for Working Class Americans, for people who depend on Social Security and Medicare and for single moms and working families and… whatever it takes to make them our new voting buddies.

These nonvoters are your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates. Chances are they share some of the same concerns as you — so you’ve already got common ground. Build on that.

Studies have shown that nonvoters, when and if they ever vote, tend to lean toward the Democrats. So they may already be inclined to do the right thing. And you'll be surprised by how aware they actually are that this isn't just any old election, but one that has huge consequences in terms of freedom, democracy and the future of this country. 

So maybe start with that, the assumption that they care a lot about what actually is going on. And then maybe say it to them like this: 

"I guess I just want to ask you for a favor. A one-time favor. I really don’t want to talk about how you feel about how politics has sunk to an all-time low and no longer represents the people. You would be surprised by how many millions of people agree with you, including — in part — me. But this is unlike any other election because if Trump returns to the White House, the level of chaos and authoritarian dictates might be so overwhelming, it may be that just this once, you cast a vote to help stop the madness. That's the favor I'm asking you for. For me, just this once — Vote — and then immediately go back to not voting.

I'm not asking for some life-changing moment here. Just a few moments to essentially stop Trump. That’s it. And maybe there's something I can do for you someday, some favor. And I want to believe I would be there for you, in that situation. If it sounds like I'm asking you to go against your conscience, by all means please do not do that. But if my request just sounds kind of annoying and it sounds like it probably won’t matter anyways, then all I ask is that you give yourself just a few minutes to say, "I'll do this for you and it sucks and I don't like holding my nose, but you're my friend, you're my cousin, you're my coworker, I've never done this, but this one time I'll do this for you.” And that's it. 

And that’s it! That’s all we have to do. It’s an incredible favor. But they only have to do it just this once.

But don’t take my word for it. Read this letter I got from Brenda this morning: 

I actually have 3 voting Buddies who have NEVER voted before! My husband's ex-wife, and my two step-children. My stepdaughter always said she "wasn't in to politics." I explained she didn't have to be to vote. When I explained to her what was at stake, especially as a woman, she relented. And then we recruited her mother and brother. So wonderful!

Or this letter from Ann:

I’m a white, Catholic, 80-year-old, mother of four, grandma of seven young voting free thinkers. I’m so proud of all of us for voting our blue conscience and talking about it.

I was there when women couldn’t get their own charge cards. A very small example of the suppression of an entire gender. We’re not going back! This is the mantra I hold onto when the red noise gets too loud. When they play the baby card trying to suck the nurturing nature of women in, it’s not working. Women are smarter than that. We’ve been lied to before. Not happening. We’re not going back!!!

In addition to taking on this ‘Voting Buddy Challenge,’ many of you have also been sharing some of your own strategies that we can all use to reach nonvoters and help get people to the polls. It is not enough for each of us to just vote — we must flood the zone with as many voters as we can find. 

Take J.R. for example. Their whole family has already voted, so now they’re using this time to reach even more voters!

I have my three voting buddies, my hubby, my son and my mom! DONE. 

However, (more importantly) I have adopted 500 Dems that I am writing election reminders to (Get Out the Vote) in Arizona. 

As soon as I get all these reminders completed and in the mail — I think I’ll sign up for either texting or phone banking for a candidate I really care to help push over the edge. Like maybe Ruben Gallego in Arizona, or Colin Allred in Texas, or one of the many other amazing democrats who are pushing hard this campaign.

Or take Pete, who turned two longtime Republican voters into two Blue Tsunami Voting Buddies: 

My three (actually 2 + myself + my wife—hmmm, I reckon this makes 4 altogether) are my sister and her husband who have been staunch republican voters since forever. We live on opposite US coasts. We all have voted for Kamala and Walz as of yesterday. 

This is a great reminder! There are millions of Republicans who are disgusted by Trump. You may be surprised at what they are finally ready to admit. (And you’ll know within a minute if there’s any hope — if not, you’re wasting your time. Don’t argue. Just get back to finding more nonvoters and turning them into Voting Buddies!)

No matter where you live, there’s something you can do. Here’s what Cathlynn is doing — everyone she knows already voted, so she signed up to help drive people to the polls: 

We live in a “blue bubble”. All our friends have already voted. So the local Democratic Party helps connect folks who need transportation to the polls with people willing to drive them. We had our first “customer” yesterday. He had his sample ballot all filled out, we waited while he went in to the polling place to cast his ballot and then took him home! Call your local Party and get your three voting buddies!

There is always something more you can do. One reader sent me the story of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. In this crucial state, members of this local Democratic Party office devised a strategy they call “Blue Ballots.”

The Blue Ballot is an easy to make, easy to hand out, and easy to follow Voter Guide that voters can use to help guide them through the ballot as they vote. This makes voting easier and faster. And it increases the chances that your local city council and other state offices will have good people elected. All you have to do is design a single page flyer — you can do a Front & Back flyer if you need to — and include a list of all the names of the good candidates for each elected office on the ballot. If you’re not handy with design, there are websites that can help you! Check out places like Venngage and PosterMyWall. Or ask a friend, your kids, or that person who designed the office holiday party poster. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it doesn’t even have to have pictures. It just needs to be easy to follow!

Then, print up a hundred copies and start handing them out! If you run out, print more! 

Keep it simple. I promise you this will help people know how to vote, who to vote for, and help them get in and out of the voting booth faster. All of which makes it more likely for them to vote. And then, each one of them instantly becomes your Voting Buddy!

Don’t wait for your local party to do this, make one yourself! Or go to the local party HQ and help them make one. Either way, these handy and handheld localized voter guides can help even the most reluctant voter breeze through the voting process, whether they’re voting in person or sitting at the kitchen table, filling-out their drop-box ballot using your guide as their guide.

Whatever you do, don’t give up, don’t stop fighting, and don’t let the polls and headlines leave you so riddled with anxiety about what could happen on November 5th that you don’t leave your house and can’t talk to anyone. Instead — be a part of what will happen on November 5th. Turn those nonvoters into your own personal Voting Buddies and get them to the polls. And let’s get this Big Blue Tsunami rolling across this nation. 

Please keep sending me your stories and your strategies: mike@michaelmoore.com

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If you missed it, read yesterday’s letter here:

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