It’s Election Day — and there’s still time. Every state shaded blue has a 2026 race close enough to swing. Some even have several. Find one where you know someone — someone who's not rightwing — then tap it to see what's at stake there and how their vote can make a difference. See below for what to ask today, what to do if something goes wrong at the polls, and how to make sure every vote counts after the polls close.
What you're asking today
You don't need a script — you just need their attention. Text, call, or both:
- “Have you voted yet?” If they have, celebrate — then ask them to make sure their people have voted too. If they voted by mail, ask them to check that their ballot was received (see After the polls close, below).
- If not: “When are you going, and where?” Their polling place today may not be where they voted last time — their state's card links to the official site. Make sure they know when polls close and what ID to bring, if any — VoteRiders has every state's ID rules in plain language. If they still have a mail ballot, it should be dropped off today, not mailed; their state's card says where, and by what time.
- “Save this number before you go.” The nonpartisan Election Protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) — or, en español, 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); in Asian languages, 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683); in Arabic, 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287). Or they can text MYVOTE to 866-687-8683. And if the line is long: anyone in line when the polls close has the right to vote, so stay in line.
- Haven't registered? In some states, people can still register and vote today. Each state's card says whether theirs is one.
Then check back this afternoon with anyone who hasn't told you they've voted.
Want to reach higher?
Ask what's in the way — work, kids, a ride — and help them solve it. And coach them to take these steps with the people they know — that's how one personal connection turns into ten votes.
At the polls: if something goes wrong
Most people vote without a hitch. But if your person runs into trouble, the most important rule is simple: don't leave without voting. Here's what to do:
- Their name isn't on the list. Ask the poll worker to check again — other spellings, a previous name or address. Ask whether they're at the right polling place; if they're not, and there's time, going to the right one is the surest way to make their vote count. If the problem can't be solved, they have a right under federal law to cast a provisional ballot. Before leaving, they should ask how to find out whether it was counted, and whether they need to do anything afterward — in some states, they'll need to show ID at the elections office within a few days.
- ID problems. If they have an ID that meets their state's requirements but the poll worker says they need something else, they should show the poll worker the state's own rules — on the official site the “Dates & ways to vote” button on their state's card links to. If the poll worker still insists, call the hotline. If they don't have an accepted ID, ask what other forms are accepted, or ask for a provisional ballot rather than leaving. VoteRiders explains every state's ID rules in plain language — and it's worth checking before they go.
- They have a mail ballot but want to vote in person. Bring it, envelope and all. In many states they can turn it in at the polls and vote a regular ballot; without it, they may have to vote provisionally.
- They make a mistake on their ballot, or a machine acts up. Ask for a new ballot rather than trying to fix it — voters have a right to one. If a machine is broken, ask for a paper ballot, and call the hotline.
- They need help. Voters with disabilities and voters who have trouble reading or writing can bring someone to help them — anyone except their employer or union representative.
- Someone tries to intimidate them or challenges their right to vote. Don't argue. Tell a poll worker, and call the hotline. Intimidating voters is a federal crime.
- The line is long. Anyone in line when the polls close has the right to vote. Stay in line.
For anything else, call the hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) — or, en español, 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); in Asian languages, 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683); in Arabic, 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287). Or text MYVOTE to 866-687-8683. For more detail, see TurboVote’s “Your Voting Rights” guide (scroll down on its home page and open each section).
After the polls close: make sure every vote counts
Expect the count to take days. Early returns shift as mail and provisional ballots are counted, so don't panic over tonight's numbers — and don't share claims that a race is over until it's been called by several major, reputable news outlets.
Meanwhile, election offices are setting aside ballots with fixable problems: a missing signature, a signature that doesn't match the one on file, a missing ID number. Fixing them is called ballot curing, and it matters: in 2024, nearly half the ballots set aside for fixing never got fixed.
- Check that their ballot was received and counted. If they voted by mail or provisionally, have them look it up on their state's online ballot tracker — the “Dates & ways to vote” button on their state's card goes to the official elections site — or call their county elections office.
- If there's a problem, fix it fast. Election offices reach voters by mail, phone, text, or email, so this week your people should answer unknown numbers and open election mail. Deadlines are short — in Florida, just two days. Each state's card lists its deadline under “After today.” Fixing a problem usually means signing a form or showing ID, by mail, online, or in person.
- Know where it can't be fixed. In some states, problems can only be fixed until the polls close tonight, or not at all. If someone there learns today that their mail ballot has a problem, they may still be able to vote in person — have them call their county elections office right away.
State-by-state rules: VoteAmerica’s ballot curing guide.
Tips for successful outreach
You know your people and relationships best, so take this advice with a grain of salt. That said, here are some tips:
- Lead with the person, not the politics. “I was thinking about you” beats “I was thinking about the elections.”
- Ask something they can answer. “Have you voted yet?” gets a reply. “You should vote” probably doesn't.
- Be specific. For someone who hasn't voted yet, “The House race in your area came down to 187 votes last time” moves people more than anything general.
- Don't stop at “I mailed it.” Mail voters are the ones most at risk this week. Ask them to check their state's ballot tracker tomorrow, and again before their state's curing deadline — it's on their state's card, under “After today.”
- Tonight, be the calm one. Results will shift for days. If your people are anxious, reassure them — and don't forward rumors or fraud claims. Point them to official sources and major, reputable news outlets.
- Say thank you, and keep the list. Thank everyone who voted. And keep track of who you reached — especially anyone in Georgia, in case of a runoff, and anyone who voted by mail. You'll want them again soon.
Ready for more? Volunteer.
If reaching out to people you know feels good, and you want to do more, the next step is reaching voters you don’t know — and you can do it from wherever you are. Campaigns train you first.
- Today: text and call voters until the polls close. This is the easiest thing to do from home: get-out-the-vote text banks and phone banks for close races are running all day. Mobilize lists shifts from Democratic campaigns and allied groups — filter for virtual events and pick one that starts soon.
- This week: help cure ballots. After Election Day, campaigns and voter-protection groups call voters whose ballots have been set aside and walk them through fixing the problem before the deadline. Most of these shifts are phone banks you can join from home, with training at the start:
- Several states at once: VoPro Pros' cure phonebank calls voters in Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, and more, in two-hour Zoom shifts through Nov. 12.
- Arizona: Copper State Victory's cure phonebank, Nov. 3–8.
- Georgia: the Georgia Ballot Cure Phonebank, Nov. 4–6 (Georgia's deadline is Friday).
- Michigan: ACLU of Michigan's virtual ballot-curing shifts, Nov. 4–6.
- North Carolina: Volunteer Blue's cure phonebank and Carolina Federation and Down Home's ballot rescue phonebank, both Nov. 4–10.
More shifts are being posted all week — especially for the West Coast, where deadlines run into late November. Check Volunteer Blue's ballot cure page, or search Mobilize for “ballot curing”.
Another low-hanging action: give smart
Money given today mostly can't be spent before the polls close. But two fights are just beginning, and they need money now:
- Georgia's runoffs. In Georgia, if no candidate tops 50%, the top two meet again on December 1. Runoff campaigns have four weeks to raise money and turn voters out a second time. We should know which races are headed there within a day or two.
- Ballot curing. Campaigns and state parties are calling and knocking on doors this week to help voters fix rejected ballots. In races this close, that work can decide the outcome.
Either way, give only where all three of these tests hold:
- The race matters. Its outcome will have real political impact.
- The race is winnable. It’s genuinely competitive.
- The campaign needs the money. It doesn’t already have what it needs.
Most of us can’t tell which races pass all three tests. The folks at Oath can. As they put it, “Oath is the one-stop-shop for political giving that helps you maximize your impact.” They do the research and point you to the races where your money will matter most. Plus, your entire donation goes where you want it to go — Oath doesn’t take a cut (not even a small one). And Oath will never spam you or share your personal info. We expect Oath to update their recommendations to focus on post–Nov. 3 priorities very soon.