4 days to Midterm Elections
The AoC Checklist features clear, well-researched actions for Americans who value democracy, equality, voting, and decency. We are a big tent for all people who want a kinder, flourishing nation.
If you only have 10 minutes, take our top three suggested actions:
- Action 5: Advocate for lead-free water for Chicago’s youngest residents.
- House Actions: Urge your House Rep to reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions in year-end budget negotiations to dramatically lower child poverty.
- Action 6: Oppose petrochemical operations in Cancer Alley.
In this edition of the AoC Checklist:
- Senate actions: What we’re contacting our senators about.
- House actions: What we’re contacting our House reps about.
- Action 1: Vote.
- Action 2: Get out the vote for ranked choice voting this weekend.
- Action 3: Get real-time support for voting difficulties.
- Action 4: Counter misinformation with facts about the security of our elections.
- Action 5: Advocate for lead-free water for Chicago’s youngest residents.
- Action 6: Oppose petrochemical operations in Cancer Alley.
- Action 7: Advocate for the reproductive rights and health of aspiring Americans.
- Say Thanks: Acts of Gratitude
- Check out Good News from around the nation
- How you can support and share the AoC Checklist
Contact your senators
Check the box if you made contact–whether for one issue or all–so we can count your action. Contacting your senators’ staffers with multiple concerns is more efficient for both of you. They don’t mind, but be sure to contact both progressives and conservatives. They need to hear from you.
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Your script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] calling/writing about several issues. I’d like Sen. [NAME] to:
- Support S. 346, the The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to lower maternal death rates and improve health outcomes for Black mothers. [Source: MomsRising]
- Reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions in year-end budget negotiations to dramatically lower child poverty. [Source: CAP Poverty]
- Pass permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth whose home is here. [Source: National Immigration Law Center]
Contact your House representative
Check the box if you made contact–whether for one issue or all–so we can count your action. Contacting your representative’s staffers with multiple concerns is more efficient for both of you. They don’t mind, but be sure to contact both progressives and conservatives. They need to hear from you.
Look up your House representative here.
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Your script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] calling/writing about several issues. I’d like Rep. [NAME] to:
- Support H.R.959, the The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to lower maternal death rates and improve health outcomes for black mothers. [Source: MomsRising]
- Reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions in year-end budget negotiations to dramatically lower child poverty. [Source: CAP Poverty]
- Honor the 1835 Treaty of New Echota with the Cherokee Nation by seating their delegate in the House of Representatives. [Source: Cherokee Nation]
- Pass permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth whose home is here. [Source: National Immigration Law Center]
I value democracy
With respect and collaboration, we work to create a nation that welcomes all people, expands freedoms, and upholds the Constitution. Each citizen must be able to freely and fairly elect those who represent their values.
Action 1: Vote.
Source: AoCC
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Vote for you, vote for your values, and vote for your neighbors’ well-being too. There’s a lot more at stake this election than red/blue. Use your voice to support democracy.
Need a ride to the polls?
Lyft is offering 50% off rides to polling places on Election Day.
Lime is offering 2 free e-bike/e-scooter rides to voters.
NAACP and UMG are offering discounts on rides to the polls.
Action 2: Get out the vote for ranked choice voting this weekend.
Source: Fair Vote Washington
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference and strengthen representation. Successfully implemented in two states and several municipalities, RCV is now on the ballot in Seattle.
Sign up: Encourage Seattle voters to vote to support ranked choice voting.
Action 3: Get real-time support for voting difficulties.
Source: 866-OUR-VOTE
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Voter intimidation is a crime, not protected free speech. If you have any problems voting, or witness or experience voter intimidation, call these Election Protection hotlines to speak to a trained, non-partisan volunteer:
English: 866-OUR-VOTE
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US
Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE
Bonus: Share this information with your friends and post on social media.
Action 4: Counter misinformation with facts about the security of our elections.
Source: Brennan Center
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
As local news outlets shrink, misinformation about voting can spread easily on social media. This election season, read up on common myths about voting.
Share: Using the link above, tell skeptics about the safeguards, strength, and security of U.S. elections.
I value equality
Support the dignity of your rainbow of neighbors from every religion, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, age, and ability.
Action 5: Advocate for lead-free water for Chicago’s youngest residents.
Source: NRDC
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Write: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Office of the Mayor of Chicago, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago City Hall 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602, or email at letterforthemayor@cityofchicago.org
Script: Hi, I’m from [STATE] and I care about the health of Chicago residents exposed to the toxic effects of lead. The city’s current program has replaced only 180 of over 400,000 lead service lines, leaving families and children vulnerable to lead contamination and life-threatening health risks. No amount of lead is safe. I’m calling on Mayor Lightfoot to provide lead filters to vulnerable Chicago residents and accelerate the replacement of lead service lines.
Action 6: Oppose petrochemical operations in Cancer Alley.
Source: Rise St. James
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Contact: President Biden, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20500, or via The White House contact form.
Script: Hi. I’m contacting you from [STATE] because I care about residents of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” St. James Parish, Louisiana counts some 200 petrochemical plants, whose emissions have been shown to result in high rates of cancer and other serious illnesses among these disproportionately black communities. I urge you to declare an emergency to address this urgent health crisis.
Action 7: Advocate for the reproductive rights and health of aspiring Americans.
Source: Al Otro Lado
Join the 0 Americans of Conscience who have completed this action by checking the tally box!
Write: Commissioner Chris Magnus, Customs and Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 or call 1-877-227-5511.
Script: Hello, I’m contacting you from [STATE] to express my concern about CBP’s ongoing failure to provide adequate care for pregnant, postpartum, and nursing people in their custody. CBP is ill-equipped to provide the specialized pre- and post-natal care. I’m joining with the over 130 organizations and medical professionals urging immediate action to allow infants and pregnant, nursing, and postpartum people to receive proper care outside of CBP custody.
Acts of Gratitude
Signatures to the forms below will be printed with a letter of thanks from Americans of Conscience and mailed to the recipient. Your information will be removed from this website no later than 4 weeks after the Checklist’s publication date.
Thank John Oliver and Jon Stewart for using their platforms to advocate for transgender kids’ right to gender affirming medical care.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these email addresses:
JO: c/o Michelle Goldstein, Media Relations Manager, Michelle.Goldstein@warnermedia.com
JS: c/o Janice Aguilar-Herrero, Press Contact, janiceah@apple.com
Thank Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D–CA) for introducing the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act, which will enable people with certain disability designations to get married without jeopardizing their disability benefits.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use this address: 406 Cannon HOB, Washington, DC 20515
Thank an unnamed student artist from Grant, MI for designing and painting an inclusive, diverse “Stay Healthy” mural that makes other students feel comfortable to be themselves. We support you, are proud of you, and believe in your positive message. Creative people like you are the future.
While we normally provide the address here, this student was subjected to harassment by parents. Instead of sending her lots of cards with the same message, sign our gratitude instead here. We’ll send her a single letter with all of your signatures and some fun rainbow stickers.
Good News
If you find good news for democracy, equality, and the planet, share it with us here!
Progress on issues previously featured in the Checklist
- At least 1 million voters have voted early in Georgia, a dramatic increase from the rate of early voters in 2018’s midterm election. (Midterms 2022 action list)
- Kyle Hedquist participates in his first election after 28 years in prison, a result of reforms implemented in recent years to restore the rights of over a million voters. (Ft. 06-04-21, 07-16-21, 05-21-21, etc.)
- People from Ethiopia may live free from harm in the U.S. after being granted Temporary Protected Status for 18 months. (Ft. 10-07-22)
National
- The Biden-Harris administration announces billions of dollars in assistance to help cut energy costs this winter.
- For the first time after a major disaster, people without a home before Hurricane Ian are eligible for federal housing aid.
- Following public feedback, USCIS makes changes to the naturalization process to make it more accessible for applicants with disabilities.
- SCOTUS rules that a SC senator must testify before the GA grand jury about contesting the 2020 election results.
- SCOTUS rejects an appeal attempting to place the Biden administration’s student debt cancellation program on hold.
State
- AZ: Court issues a temporary restraining order against groups illegally intimidating voters and monitoring ballot drop boxes.
- MA Supreme Court rules that a ballot initiative that could have upended fair labor laws cannot appear on the ballot.
- NM: Bernalillo County District Court rules that because only the state governor has the authority to activate a militia, a violent paramilitary group is outlawed.
- OR: A tech glitch resulting in 7,767 Oregonians not being pre-registered to vote is corrected in time for the midterm elections.
- RI passes legislation to keep domestic violence survivors’ voter information confidential.
- VA court rules that a state law dealing with censorship is unconstitutional and a violation of the First Amendment.
Local
- Austin’s school district commits to 100% electric buses, the first-ever district in TX to do so.
- Los Angeles voters will determine whether wealthy homebuyers will pay a fairer share of real estate taxes.
- Nearly 4,000 18-year-old Philadelphians register to vote in a twelve-day period.
- The registration rate for the youngest potential voters in every county in the greater Philly area increased by more than 25% in just four weeks, and region-wide the rate increased by more than 30%.
- Diwali becomes an officially recognized holiday in NYC schools.
Corporate/business
- CVS and Walgreens agree to settlements totaling $10B for their role in the opioid crisis.
- CVS lowers the price of their brand of menstrual products by 25% in 12 states with a “tampon tax.”
Groups and organizations
- Over 600 Physicians for Reproductive Health write an open letter calling for news media to stop publishing misinformation, disinformation, and inflammatory threats regarding abortion.
- Saie and SisterSong unite 35+ brands in the Every Body Campaign, the largest-ever beauty industry initiative raising awareness and funds for reproductive rights.
- First Book and 26 other nonprofits nationwide form the Diverse Books for All Coalition, an initiative to increase access to diverse children’s books.
- The Human Rights Campaign shares a list of LGBTQ+ change-makers making an impact in their communities.
News with heart
- Warring sides within Ethiopia formally agree to a permanent cessation of hostilities in a two-year conflict.
- Nigeria’s Benin Bronzes, long housed in the Smithsonian, are returned to their home country 125 years after being plundered and stolen by British forces.
- The cranial remains of at least 13 Black Philadelphians housed at the University of Pennsylvania will be reburied in the historic African American Eden cemetery.
- The number of people from communities of color participating in outdoor activities has increased over the past three years.
- 85% of Gen Z high school students and graduates intend to vote in the midterm elections, according to a survey by the National Society of High School Scholars.
- Ted Sams, 77, finally walks the stage to receive his high school diploma after being denied the opportunity over a book fine in 1962.
- 3,823 monarch butterflies are counted during their seasonal migration this year, up from zero in 2020.
To Support the Checklist
The AoC Checklist helps you speak up to create a better democracy for all and is always ad-free and no-cost. Share the Checklist with like-hearted friends and consider becoming a patron.
Thank you, this checklist is a source of comfort during this trying times.