With Election Day less than two weeks away, Americans are already voting in record numbers. As of noon Oct. 23, more than 52 million Americans have voted — 36 million by mail and 16 million in person. That’s more than one-third of the total number of people who voted in the 2016 election.
Michael McDonald, who manages the United States Elections Projects, says it’s possible this year’s election could see the highest percentage of eligible voters vote since 1908. See figures from the Vital Statistics of American Politics.
The unprecedented number of early voters is being driven by fears or uncertainty about the safety of voting on Election Day. Here are three campaigns you can use to promote healthy voting.
“Stay Safe While Voting” Campaign
Click image to access downloadable resources.
The “Stay Safe While Voting” campaign, developed by Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, provides evidence-based guidance on actions individuals can take to reduce their risk of COVID-19 infection, and includes ready-to-use messages suitable for a quick and targeted digital dissemination. The materials are designed to appeal to a broad audience and were developed inclusively to reach different age groups, races and genders. Social media posts and digital banners are available in English and Spanish.
HealthyVoting.org
Healthy Voting “helps you find healthy, secure, and safe ways to cast your ballot this year. Healthy voting practices protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community from the spread of COVID-19.” The HealthyVoting.org website, which includes a Healthy Voting guide for every state, territory, and the District of Columbia — compiles recommendations from leading public health experts, with information on the latest updates to state election law. Healthy Voting is a project of the American Public Health Association, the Center for Civic Design, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, and We Can Vote. Here are tools you can use to share the campaign on social media.
VoteSAFE Public Health
VoteSAFE Public Health is a coalition of 10 national public health organizations working to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to safely vote in the 2020 election and prevent transmission of COVID-19. It is committing to promoting healthy communities and advancing health equity by ensuring that safe voting and participation in the electoral process is available to everyone. Coalition members include the American College of Preventive Medicine, APHA, Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health, ASTHO, the Big Cities Health Coalition, NACCHO, the National Network of Public Health Institutes, the Network for Public Health Law, the Public Health Accreditation Board, and Trust for America’s Health. Learn more, and see an overview below.
