How to prepare to vote in the midterms, from the ACLU
Among the many organizations John Dineen lists in the voting rights section of his briefing.center website is the American Civil Liberties Union.
The ACLU has been working for justice for more than 100 years. Here are highlights of its history.
During the second Trump administration, I’ve been impressed with the ACLU’s Know Your Rights virtual trainings.
Here are the ACLU’s frequently-asked-questions on how it’s safeguarding the midterm elections.
The ACLU says: “One important thing all of us can do ahead of the election is share the Election Protection Hotline widely. If you see any concerning behavior at the polls, or just have a question about voting, call or text the following numbers:
• 1-866-OUR-VOTE (English)
• 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (English/Spanish)
• 1-888-API-VOTE (English/Asian languages)
• 1-844-YALLA-US (English/Arabic)”
The FAQ discusses making your voting plan. Here is the ACLU’s step-by-step voting-plan guidance.
The ACLU is inviting you to join its Democracy Defenders Task Force. You can sign up here.
The ACLU has a new podcast, called Let The Record Show. Here is the first episode (just 21 minutes), on immigrant rights.
John and I hope you’ll share these resources with your family and friends!
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” — late Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., civil rights activist
Here are regularly updated voting rights resources for the November midterm elections, on John Dineen’s briefing.center website. And here is John’s daily quick commentary on his briefing.center home page.
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You can call the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and be connected to the offices of your representative and senators. To email your House member and your two senators, you can connect to their websites at Congress.gov. Most lawmakers seem to only accept emails from their constituents, but these leaders accept emails from Americans nationwide, at:
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Related Knowledge Center: Voting rights
As Republicans move to restrict voting rights, and Donald Trump appears to be preparing for another confrontation about election results, a wide range of organizations are pushing back.
Top guidance in the run-up to Election Day
- Ben Wikler, a political organizer who was chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2025 says, “The very most powerful thing you can do as a volunteer in politics is to talk to your actual friends and family who are fence-sitters.”
- He quotes Abraham Lincoln, who wrote in a letter to a campaign committee in 1840: “Keep a constant watch on the doubtful voters, and from time to time have them talked to by those in whom they have the most confidence.”
- The place to put our energy, Wikler says, is on the people whose votes will matter most because they live in a place with high-stakes, very close elections, as well as the people where we live.
- ACLU: Know your voting rights | How the ACLU is safeguarding the election
- Report intimidation, at the polls or elsewhere, immediately to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).