#Every Vote Counts

[millenniallust4death]

I worked at a poll station for the Canadian federal election yesterday. For 12 straight hours, all of us enthusiastically cheered after a person voted for the first time. We congratulated and thanked them for participating in the democratic process. Even as a deeply cynical person, I found it genuinely encouraging — because every cheer was a reminder that individual participation still matters, and that it’s worth encouraging people to keep showing up.

[textless]

Two sides of the same sign (which is mine). Cochise County, Arizona, October 2024.

[fwilliamwallace]

To the thousands of children on Mother's Day whose mother needlessly died because of republican's overturning women's rights to reproductive healthcare. Your mother would still be alive if people would have voted for the mother and not a dictatorial narcissistic moron.

[its-a-hare-pom-pom]

I posted about how people need to vote especially now that Trump has been shot and that I’m British and care about this and it made some person mad and they told me not to talk about it as a Brit.

So.

I’m gonna talk about it a lot more :)

I don’t have to be American to not want yet another fascist country. I don’t have to be American to fear for people’s lives and wellbeing. Trump being the president may not affect me directly but it will indirectly seeing all of my American mutuals and people on the news suffering, losing rights, and being oppressed. Please, if you are able, vote.

[ashley-yakushi]

Alright, guys, I'm a bit better than i was before because i decided to get some help. So i decided to post a poll for u guys.

Tournament ideas for Naruto Shippuden=

1) Best Villain in Naruto shippuden

2) Worst Villain in Naruto shippuden

3) Best Hero in Naruto shippuden

4) Worst Hero in Naruto Shippuden

5) Best Sensei in Naruto shippuden

6) Worst sensei in Naruto Shippuden

7) Overall best character In Naruto shippuden

8) Overall Worst character in Naruto Shippuden

Edit:

Comment which tournament should happen first

[tomorrowusa]

A news story worth sharing with those who claim that their individual votes don't matter.

Canada's election took place two weeks ago today. Because of extremely close margins or other factors, recounts have been taking place in a handful of ridings (constituencies).

As a direct result of the recount in the riding of Terrebonne, the seat flipped from the Bloc Québécois (BQ) to the Liberal Party (LPC) by one vote.

After a judicial recount, the Quebec riding of Terrebonne has flipped to the Liberals, who have beaten the Bloc Québécois by one vote. The result means the Liberals have 170 seats in the House of Commons — just two shy of a majority government. On Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Stéphane Perrault announced the judicial recount after results showed incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné beat Liberal challenger Tatiana Auguste by 44 votes. Now, Elections Canada's website shows Auguste received 23,352 votes. Sinclair-Desgagné received 23,351 votes. According to Canada's election rules, a recount is automatically triggered when a candidate wins by less than 0.1 per cent of the overall vote in that riding, which applied to Terrebonne. In certain circumstances, candidates can also request a recount. The recount was conducted by Superior Court of Quebec Justice Danielle Turcotte. Terrebonne had originally been called for the Liberals the day after the votes were cast. But the riding flipped to the Bloc during the validation process — which is different from a recount. Validation is a procedure in which Elections Canada double-checks and verifies the numbers reported on election night.

So the Liberals now have 170 seats – just two short for a majority government.

There are recounts currently taking place in the ridings of Milton East-Halton Hills South, Terra Nova-The Peninsulas, and Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore. The first two are tentatively in the Liberal column based on the original count. The third is tentatively won by the Conservatives.

So if Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals hold on to Milton East-Halton Hills South and Terra Nova-The Peninsulas while picking up Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore, they will be just one seat away from having to rely on other parties to govern.

To make matters more interesting, Pierre Poilievre, the defeated leader of the Conservative Party who lost his own riding of Carleton, is seeking a way to get back into the House. Conservative MP Damien Kurek who represents the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot has said he would resign to give Poilievre a chance to run and probably win that seat. So with Kurek's resignation, that would temporarily reduce the number of sitting MPs to 342.

So things will continue to be interesting in Canadian politics for a while.

You might find interesting this episode of The Rational National podcast. It largely focuses on Pierre Poilievre.

[coochiequeens]

Ladies please share with any friends about to ger married. Tell them that even without the SAVE Act changing your last name is a pain in the ass.

By Janet Moore The Minnesota Star Tribune May 9, 2025

When a bill passed the U.S. House last month seeking to overhaul the way Americans register to vote, a narrative emerged that it could bar millions of married women from voting.

The same conversation circulated after President Donald Trump signed a similar executive order in March.

Both the federal bill, called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, and the executive order would require every American to provide “documentary” proof of citizenship — in person — when registering or re-registering to vote in federal elections.

Documentary proof refers to documents that establish a person’s status as a citizen, such as a U.S. passport, a birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization papers.

The intent of the Trump administration is to tamp down election fraud, but the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice said the SAVE Act would be an “operational nightmare, an unfunded mandate, and put election officials at legal risk — all for an unnecessary requirement. There are already multiple protections in place to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens can vote."

So how do married women fit in all this?

Both the bill (should it become law) and the executive order could affect some 69 million married women across the country who changed their names when they wed — in other words, those women who don’t have birth certificates that match their current names, according to the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive think tank. These women would likely need additional documentation to vote.

How many married women could be affected in Minnesota?

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said it doesn’t know for sure, but we tried to unearth that number. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey says there are 1.2 million married women in Minnesota. Since the Pew Research Center estimates 79% of married women change their names, that gives us 948,000 Minnesota women who may find it difficult to vote in federal elections under the Republican-led overhaul.

Anyone else potentially affected?

Yes, but again, we don’t have exact numbers. It could include transgender people who have changed their names. All told, there are about 26,000 people who identify as transgender in Minnesota, or 0.6% of the state’s adult population, according to the Williams Institute, an LGBTQ+ think tank at UCLA.

And then there’s 5% of the male population nationwide who took their wife’s last name when they married, and men who hyphenated their surnames when they wed, less than 1% of the married population, according to Pew.

This list goes on, including rural residents who live far from government offices to register, as well as students, homeless people and members of the military who move frequently.

What is the current situation for voter registration?

Now, the federal voter registration form asks people to swear ― under penalty of perjury — that they are U.S. citizens and provide a driver’s license number, state ID number or Social Security number.

Can’t these people just use their U.S. passports to register to vote?

Sure, but 44.6% of Minnesotans, about 2.4 million people, do not have a passport, according to Center for American Progress.

What about Real ID?

In a letter to Congress, more than two dozen secretaries of state said Real IDs that have already been issued would not meet the SAVE Act’s requirements for documentary proof of citizenship, since they do not indicate citizenship status. That means the nearly 140 million Real IDs that have been issued over the past decade could not be used as proof of citizenship.

However, a handful of states, including Minnesota, offer a citizen-only Real ID alternative that might meet SAVE Act requirements, according to the Associated Press.

Why would any longstanding voter need to re-register to vote?

If they moved, even to a new town in the same state, or if they changed their party affiliation.

What’s the official line from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon?

Simon recently noted that the few states that have tried to do this in the past have regretted it, including Kansas, where a similar law blocked tens of thousands of citizens from registering who were otherwise eligible to vote. The federal courts ultimately declared the law unconstitutional.

“I understand and agree with making sure that only citizens are voting, but this is a flawed and chaotic way to do it,” Simon said.

Simon and 14 other secretaries of state sent a letter to the chair of the House Administration Committee expressing their concerns about the SAVE Act.

Is voter fraud a problem in Minnesota?

Simon points to a recent study by a University of St. Thomas professor who looked at every prosecution related to noncitizen voting in the state of Minnesota since 2015. He found a total of three convictions out of more than 13 million votes cast.

“Even though I believe it’s a clumsy attempt at a federal takeover of aspects of our election system, one that is likely going to be struck down, we have to take seriously what he is trying to do,” Simon said.

What are others saying about it?

A spokesperson for the feminist group Women’s March Minnesota said the SAVE Act “discourages voters whose current legal name doesn’t match their birth certificate, including people who have changed their name due to marriage, gender affirmation or other reasons. There may be ways to waive this exclusion with additional paperwork, but it sets up barriers.”

What are supporters saying?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Democrats “have been fearmongering about this bill, have been saying if married women change their name, they would not be able to vote. That is complete fallacy.”

How did the Minnesota delegation in the House vote on the SAVE Act?

Along party lines, with Republicans supporting the measure, and Democrats opposing it.

Here’s a sampling of what our lawmakers said following the vote:

On social media, Minneapolis DFL Rep. Ilhan Omar called the SAVE Act a “suppression bill” that will “disenfranchise millions of voters, especially married women.”

Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican representing much of northern Minnesota, said in a news release that illegal immigrants entering the country during the Biden administration increased the threat of fraud in elections.

Rep. Michelle Fischbach, a Republican representing parts of western Minnesota, took a swipe at Gov. Tim Walz in her SAVE Act news release, saying he “has done nothing about the non-citizens that are appearing on voter rolls and receiving election ballots.”

What’s next?

Republicans in the Senate failed to pass a similar measure last year and pundits say it’s unlikely to fare any better this time around.

Briana Bierschbach of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.

[election2024-2028]

Project 2025: Basics

What is Project 2025? Who wrote it? And who is it intended to help? And who is this going to hurt?

Let's get into it. First, what is Project 2025, and who wrote it? Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project is a project started by the Heritage Foundation for the transition from Biden to Trump. Of course, that is their assuming that former (and failed) president Trump is going to become president again. I believe most people hope that no such thing will happen. If all goes well, we will have President Kamala Harris come January of 2025. The Heritage Foundation and about 200 other people grouped together to create a book called Mandate for Leadership: A Conservative Promise. Kind of sounds like a weird dystopian novel, doesn't it? But, no, it's worse than a dystopia. This is a real book written by the ultra-conservative group called the Heritage Foundation and a large number of other far-right people, including lawyers for firms that boast about arguing against equity and inclusion laws, economists who believe in getting rich instead of protecting the environment, people with no organization to speak of, well-known conspiracy theorists, and politicians. The Heritage Foundation calls this collection of people "experts", but you can tell from their organizations that they are mainly a group of extremely biased conservatives.

This book is intended as a starting point for Donald Trump if he gets back into the White House. It is "by conservatives, for conservatives." This basically means that this is meant for extremist conservatives or Trump cultists, conservatives who believe:

Gay marriage should be illegal.

Abortion should be completely banned.

We need nuclear families only.

Queer history shouldn't be taught.

Children aren't allowed to be trans.

Interracial marriage should be banned.

Liberals aren't real Americans.

Immigrants shouldn't be allowed into the country without having to jump through extreme hurtles.

Illegal immigrants should be in internment camps*.

Conservatives are the only real Americans.

Trump is the best person to have as president.

Joe Biden is evil and has completely mismanaged the country.

Equity is wrong.

Inclusion is wrong.

DEI is a bad thing.

Gay marriage is sinful.

Racial inequity and racism shouldn't be talked about in school.

Books about queer people should be banned.

Feminism is a bad thing.

The men should be in control of the heterosexual home (which should be the only kind of home).

Families without fathers are severely damaging to the children, no matter the other circumstances.

Guns should be completely legal, no matter the kind of gun or any other details.

Trans people are inherently inappropriate.

Children shouldn't be exposed to LGBTQ people.

Drag is inherently sexual.

Trans women are dangerous.

Gender and sex are the same thing.

Gender and sex are binary.

People can't change their gender.

In other words, this is for homophobic, transphobic, racist, "Christian" misogynistic gunnies who are on the far right.

And who does this hurt? This hurts many people, of all different politics and beliefs. Chances are, it hurts you or someone you care about. This project affects this (non-exhaustive) list of people:

LGBTQ people

Women

Trans men

Trans people in general

People in communities with high risk of violence

BIPOC people

Single parents

Interracial couples

Liberals

People who do drag

Accepting parents of trans children

Fatherless families

Immigrants

Feminists

Who or what else might be harmed by this project?

The environment

Relationships with other countries

Freedom of speech

Schools

Diversity and equity

Remember: This isn't an exhaustive list. This is only part of the people who could be hurt by this project.

I know it is possible that someone may point out to me that Trump has denied being involved with Project 2025. Therefore, I believe it is necessary that I point out that Agenda 47, which Trump is for sure involved with is very close to, if not the same as Project 2025, just with a different name.

*Internment camp basically means a concentration camp. That's what they want. Concentration camps for "illegal" immigrants. This is like what happened to Japanese Americans during World War II. *

Conclusion

Be aware of who you're voting for this election. This blog will contain more details about the 2024 election. Chances are you know at least a few people who are close to you who would be affected by Project 2025 policies if Donald Trump becomes president, and I hope you care enough about them to want to protect them from gun violence, forced pregnancy, forced submission, prison sentences, censorship, and a dead Earth.

I know it's hard to believe that your vote could mean anything when it seems like Trump is going to win. Maybe you think that your vote doesn't count, but I assure you that the only way that you will protect your and your loved ones' rights is to vote. Please vote.

[thebluestockingfirefly]

Y'all, if you're in the United States and eligible to vote, check your voter registration status. Every single vote is vitally important, and it only takes about a minute to confirm.

https://www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration

If you're 18 or will be 18 by Election Day (Tuesday, November 5, 2024) and you haven't registered to vote - go register! Now!

Don't disappoint Phryne and Cimorene. They'd vote if they could.

[rosielindy]

I’ve been shouting into the void that was once Twitter trying to get attention from National Dems for Indiana. A couple of my recent posts here for reference and Jaime Harrison’s post about Indiana candidates today. It could easily be a coincidence but I’m counting it as a win either way. 💗💗💗💗

[dinosaurwithablog]

I've known a lot of people who are now being called "illegals". Most of these people are good people who, for some reason, couldn't get into our country through the proper channels. These good people were desperate to have a better life so they did what they had to do to come to America and get that life for themselves and their family. They wanted things that we take for granted here. They wanted refrigeration, indoor plumbing, a good education for their children or themselves, and of course, freedom and the opportunity to work hard and provide a better life for themselves and their family. Most of these good people work harder than the majority of people who are here, and these people are praying to be able to call themselves Americans one day. That would make them very proud. How can a political party act as if these good people are bad. How can a political party turn their back on these good, hard working, appreciative people. No people are illegal. They are people. They deserve a chance to work hard and get the better life that we take for granted. Vote BLUE. Protect all people's rights. Protect people. Do the right thing and vote BLUE today. Please. People's lives are counting on you. Please, don't let them down. Stand up for all people and vote BLUE today!!

[weirdstrangeandawful]

Whilst we wait for final counts in BC, Canada, another reminder to any American on the fence about voting that Every Single Vote Counts.

Any one district could drastically change the outcome of this election. And that could come down to 12 votes.

[lgbtally4ever]

Democratic Voters:

DO NOT drop the ball THIS TIME or it, really, might be the last time!

[synthonies]

Go vote, Canadians!

[tomorrowusa]

Yep, your vote does count. A new example from our northern neighbors.

British Columbia held provincial elections on October 19th. It has, like Canada's federal government, a system of government similar to that of the UK.

A party must win a majority of seats in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly to form a government in the province.

So eight days after the election, the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP) has won or is leading in 46 seats, the Conservative Party has won or is leading in 45, and the Green Party has won 2 seats. 47 seats are needed for a majority in the 93 seat chamber.

So there are two ridings (Canadian for legislative districts) where recounts are taking place on Sunday and Monday. One of them is Surrey-Guildford. The incumbent NDP member is currently down by just 12 votes.

So if Garry Begg picks up just 13 votes in the recount and counting of absentee ballots, he will win the riding and the NDP will continue in power in British Columbia.

So share this with the vote slackers in your life.

[coochiequeens]

Ladies, vote for yourself and those denied the right

Dhurnal (Pakistan) (AFP) – Perched on her traditional charpai bed, Naeem Kausir says she would like to vote in Pakistan's upcoming election -- if only the men in her family would let her.

Issued on: 05/02/2024 - 08:41

In  the village of Dhurnal in Punjab, spread across crop fields and home to several thousand people, men profess myriad reasons why women should not be allowed to vote © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Like all the women in her town, the 60-year-old former headmistress and her seven daughters -- six already university educated -- are forbidden from voting by their male elders.

"Whether by her husband, father, son or brother, a woman is forced. She lacks the autonomy to make decisions independently," said Kausir, covered in a veil in the courtyard of her home.

"These men lack the courage to grant women their rights," the widow told AFP.

Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, some rural areas in the socially conservative country are still ruled by a patriarchal system of male village elders who wield significant influence in their communities.

In the village of Dhurnal in Punjab, spread across crop fields and home to several thousand people, men profess myriad reasons for the ban of more than 50 years.

"Several years ago, during a period of low literacy rates, a council chairman decreed that if men went out to vote, and women followed suit, who would manage the household and childcare responsibilities?" said Malik Muhammad, a member of the village council.

"This disruption, just for one vote, was deemed unnecessary," he concluded.

Robina Kausir, a healthcare worker, talks to AFP in Dhurnal of Punjab province, ahead of the upcoming general election © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Muhammad Aslam, a shopkeeper, claims it is to protect women from "local hostilities" about politics, including a distant occasion that few seem to remember in the village when an argument broke out at a polling station.

Others told AFP it was simply down to "tradition".

First Muslim woman leader

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stressed that it has the authority to declare the process null and void in any constituency where women are barred from participating.

In reality, progress has been slow outside of cities and in areas that operate under tribal norms, with millions of women still missing from the electoral rolls.

Muhammad Aslam, a shopkeeper, claims a ban on women voting is to protect them from "local hostilities" about politics © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

The elders in Dhurnal rely on neighbouring villages to fill a government-imposed quota which maintains that 10 percent of votes cast in every constituency must be by women.

Those who are allowed to vote are often pressured to pick a candidate of a male relative's choice.

In the mountainous region of Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province home to almost 800,000 people, religious clerics last month decreed it un-Islamic for women to take part in electoral campaigns.

Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, some rural areas in the socially conservative country are still ruled by a patriarchal system of male village elders who wield significant influence in their communities © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Fatima Tu Zara Butt, a legal expert and a women's rights activist, said women are allowed to vote in Islam, but that religion is often exploited or misunderstood in Pakistan.

"Regardless of their level of education or financial stability, women in Pakistan can only make decisions with the 'support' of the men around them," she said.

Pakistan famously elected the world's first Muslim woman leader in 1988 -- Benazir Bhutto, who introduced policies that boosted education and access to money for women, and fought against religious extremism after military dictator Zia ul-Haq had introduced a new era of Islamisation that rolled back women's rights.

However, more than 30 years later, only 355 women are competing for national assembly seats in Thursday's election, compared to 6,094 men, the election commission has said.

Pakistan reserves 60 of the 342 National Assembly seats for women and 10 for religious minorities in the Muslim-majority country, but political parties rarely allow women to contest outside of this quota.

Those who do stand often do so only with the backing of male relatives who are already established in local politics.

"I have never seen any independent candidates contesting elections on their own," Zara Butt added.

'Everyone's right'

Forty-year-old Robina Kausir, a healthcare worker, said a growing number of women in Dhurnal want to exercise their right to vote but they fear backlash from the community if they do -- particularly the looming threat of divorce, a matter of great shame in Pakistani culture.

She credits part of the shift to access to information as a result of the rising use of smartphones and social media.

"These men instil fear in their women – many threaten their wives," she told AFP.

Robina, backed by her husband, is one of the few prepared to take the risk.

When cricketing legend Imran Khan swept to power in the 2018 election, Robina arranged for a minibus to take women to the local polling station.

Only a handful joined her, but she still marked it as a success and will do the same on Thursday's election.

"I was abused but I do not care, I will keep fighting for everyone's right to vote," Robina said.