With only 53 days left until the most important election of our lifetime, it’s time to stop avoiding the elephant in the room. Politics affect every part of our lives, whether we scroll through the posts or not. It goes without saying there’s a lot riding on the ballot on November 3rd, from the Presidency and senate races that can shape how America gets to evolve to local elections that control state funding for police.

It’s a lot and it’s confusing. The best way to approach it is to start! Here’s our guide to voting in 2020. We know you’ll do your part because that’s what the girl next door does.

1. Check your voter registration status, register to vote, or request mail-in ballots. It’s best to visit your Secretary of State for the most updated information. While most states make mail-in voting relatively easy as Covid-19 is nowhere near contained, there are seven states that require some form of in-person voting (see map on right). Be sure to request absentee ballot early, like now, and send it back as soon as possible to avoid mail delays.

• “The Best Way to Vote in Every State” by Slate.com is a comprehensive guide to making sure your ballot gets to you and counted.

• The map on the right by I Am A Voter , a nonpartisan website that aggregates each state’s database, illustrates these restrictions.

2. Understand the importance of state senate races. While we can’t control how the electoral college works, we can be strategic about winning key senate races to ensure this leg of our government checks other branches as it was designed to do. How We Flip The Senate breaks down the strategy and efforts needed to flip the Senate blue.

3. Make A Plan for Your Ballot. We know it’s already difficult to carve out time between surviving a pandemic, work, and childcare, so the sooner you plan the better. Take full advantage of early in-person voting or absentee ballots. Request off from work or consider creating a pod within your friends to provide coverage for the little ones or carpooling (with masks, of course).

4. Get Involved. We’re in the ninth inning and it’s really anyone’s game. Get out there and make voting look good!

• Ready to commit? Volunteer to work on election day as a poll worker. Most states pay for your service, too!

• Have an hour a week to spare? Commit to helping 5-10 people register to vote.

• Can do a bit more? Canvass for local elections

• Can do something here and there? Volunteer to text bank! Jess Keys has great guide on what this is and how to do it.

• Something super easy? When an influencer asks for blog post ideas, politely request they share resources for voting in their state.

• Limited with time? Donate to your candidates’ campaigns.

5. Most importantly, use your voice to support your vision of America.

We’re not afraid to publicly announce our support for former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris. Let’s Go Joe!

— Juley Le