Make a plan to save democracy

Superlawyer Marc Elias says checking your registration is just the beginning

You've probably heard—especially in 2020 when voting felt like solving a quadratic equation in the second act of a horror movie—that you should "make a plan" to vote.

"Research has found that having the idea and the logistics of voting laid out in people’s minds may help in actually getting them to vote," Rebecca Heilweil at Vox noted.

And since you found this, you probably already have a plan. You probably have the pen picked out that you're going to use to [ ] in Harris/Walz. But you want to do more. But you're just one person.

Marc Elias is just one person, but he's probably done more to preserve democracy than any living American (though if Joe Biden's seamless handoff to Kamala Harris succeeds, Elias and George Washington will have a serious rival).

The superlawyer has worked with the DNC, on his own, and now with the Harris/Walz campaign to defeat Republicans who don't want votes to count in various and convoluted ways. And you know his Democracy Docket has become one of the essential ways the public has informed their passion for all things democracy.

In July, he laid out his four steps—a plan of sorts—for what we as individuals can do to save democracy. The steps are simple yet deep. You know them. But people need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed, as a good doctor once prescribed.

So here's his plan with some earlyworm enhancements.

1. First, everyone needs to make sure they are registered to vote and know what the rules are for voting. 

earlyworm addition: You should email everyone you know and tell everyone they know to check your voter registration.

2. Second, if you have time, volunteer for a Democratic campaign or a local political party organization. 

earlyworm addition: Volunteer wherever you feel right, and feel free to explore until you find the right fit. You can try a local campaign, especially if there are any swing races nearby, or volunteer with Harris/Walz.

You can find a wide variety of virtual ways to pitch in at mobilize.us or daily at erlywrm.com.

If volunteering doesn't work for you for any reason, giving money, if you have it to offer, is fantastic. As we discussed with Charles Gaba, whose Blue24.org has already helped raise nearly $7 million for Democrats nationwide, giving is all some people can do.

earlyworms should be thinking down-ballot since everyone else thinks of the top of the ticket. I continue to believe that our FLIPPING ARIZONA and KEEPING MICHIGAN Giving Circles are two of the very smartest donations you can make.

3. Third, if you can, contact your local county elections office and ask if they need poll workers or additional help in the office. 

earlyworm addition: This is some serious extra credit. If you can serve in this invaluable way, please consider it. If not, please share this excellent "Power to the Polls" resource from Run for Something with someone who can.

4. Finally, everyone who supports democracy and free and fair elections needs to be public with their support. 

earlyworm addition: This is what earlyworm is all about. Every Friday, you'll get one thing to do for democracy if you join the earlyworm society, free or paid. And every day at www.erlywrm.com, you'll find at least one thing you can do and share. Our concerted effort can not only spark real action; it can persuade in ways we can't even imagine by informing and reframing the debate that will grow daily as many more people join us in paying attention to this life-or-death election for democracy.

We know that voting is not enough. The almost exclusive connection between democracy and voting is a big part of our problem, noted Alex Aronson of Court Accountability in our recent conversation on "The Federalist Society Coup."

But when it comes to defeating Donald Trump and removing the most singular threat to our democracy in the nation's history, voting and guaranteeing that every vote counts is what we've got. So let's make a plan.

What's yours?

If you enjoyed this, you're probably an earlyworm. Join us at the earlyworm society--free or paid, your support matters.