Another Voter Engagement Story

Wednesday night, I had the honor of speaking with a local group about being Block Captains. As part of my presentation, I asked the audience to tell me the most difficult things they had encountered in speaking with voters.

One item that arose related to speaking to young voters.

Thursday morning, I was at the dermatologist for my annual skin check (make sure you get yours – those checks are important!). The process is that someone brings you back to ask you basic questions prior to your seeing the doctor.

Here was the conversation:

Him: “How are you doing today?”

Me: “I’m worried.”

Him: “What are you worried about?”

Me: “The upcoming election in November. Are you old enough to be registered to vote?”

Him: “Yes, I’m registered. I’m 20.”

Me: “That’s great! This will be your first presidential election. Are you planning on voting?”

Him: “People my age, we don’t really know what’s going on. I know who’s running, but I don’t really know much more than that.”

Me: “I want you to look up Project 2025. It’s the plan from the Republicans for what they’ll do starting on Day 1. I don’t want to give you any opinions, just some facts that you can check on your own.”

Him: “Is it a good plan?”

Me: “Well, I don’t think so, but I want you to check it out and make your own decision. For example, there’s a good chance they’ll conscript you.”

Him: “What does that mean?”

Me: “They’ll draft you.”

Him: “Like the Army?”

Me: “Yes. But there’s more. For example, do you have any LBGTQIA+ friends?”

Him: “Of course!”

Me: “Under Project 2025, they would have no rights – not to school, housing, jobs.”

Him: “Really?”

Me: “Yup. But don’t believe me, check it out. Also, no abortions for rape, incest or even to save the life of the mother.”

Him: “It doesn’t sound good. I don’t want those things.”

Me: “What did I tell you to look at?”

Him: “Project 2025, and I will. I think you’ll check that I do.”

Me: “You’re right about that! And when you’re done, just remember to vote Democratic up and down the ballot to make sure the bad things don’t happen.”

He then asked me a bunch of boring questions about my allergies, medications, etc.

When the doc came in, she asked how I was, and I told her I was worried about the elections. She said we all are, and then she asked, “What is your party going to do to protect the rest of us from Trump?”

My dermatologist is a recovering Republican. She changed after the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in 2018. A good friend of hers was a member of the congregation, and lost a relative to the carnage. My dermatologist attended the funeral, and she called me a few days after to say it changed her whole outlook on things. While I’ve been unsuccessful in getting her to change her registration, she has been voting Democratic in general elections ever since. She and I talked about the young man with whom I’d spoken, and she promised to follow up with him about his research on Project 2025.

There is ALWAYS an opportunity to talk to potential voters.

After the Wednesday night event, a woman came up to me and told me that when I used to post “Today’s Voter Engagement Story” to the Chester County Indivisible feed on Facebook, she took to heart that I always give my name as “Vote November 5th” (or whatever that year’s date was) when ordering coffee at Starbucks. She said that she’s been doing it ever since I wrote about it several years ago, and thought it was a great idea. On the way home from the dermatologist, there was a Starbucks, and I stopped in. When the young lady taking my order said my name from my app, I asked her if I could have a different name for my drink, and she said sure. They called out “Vote November 5th” in front of the crowd awaiting their mobile orders. I picked up my latte, turned to the crowd, and said (potentially loudly) “Yeah! I’m voting November 5th”, who’s with me?”. A majority are with me … and you … we are going to win this thing.

By the way, here’s a photo of yours truly at the CCMF/Way Forward event on Wednesday.