Get Involved!
Midterms to Win! Time to Act!
There has never been a better time to put our outrage to work. Essential issues are on the ballot: abortion rights, gun violence, voter suppression, book banning & curriculum distortion in our schools. And we have a Senate race that could help tip the US Senate balance toward vigorous support of Biden priorities we share.
BAM is a great place to meet like-minded friends and act on our shared values. If you believe in the importance of educated & engaged citizens, mutual respect, fair elections, and responsive, transparent government, join us. Together, we will make a real difference in this critical election year.
Issues
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Duval Coalition-Building
During this year's Duval redistricting effort, BAM was pleased to collaborate with DWIN and other groups to create a Citizen's Guide to speaking out.
Now we're continuing to build on these relationships with like-minded groups to reach out to area voters. We're partnering with Mandarin Indivisible in our monthly Zoom meetings, and working with DWIN, Beaches Democratic Club, the Northside Coalition, Jacksonville NOW and other groups to register & educate voters across the county. For the latest on volunteer activities you can join in, sign up for our weekly Action Alert, or check the link above.
What You Can Do Now to Secure YOUR Vote for 2022
1. Update your voter registration signature.
If your signature on file is more than 10 years old, complete a voter registration form to update your signature. Use this link for the Florida Online Voter Registration System. Print the pre-filled voter registration, sign it and mail it to: Duval Supervisor of Elections, 105 East Monroe St., Jax 32202.
2. Re-enroll in Vote-By-Mail.
The Florida 2021 Legislature changed vote-by-mail to require re-enrollment every general elections cycle. NOW, is the time to use the convenient online system to ensure your voting alternatives for the 2022 elections.
3. Remember to check your party registration!
There are important primaries coming up. Florida is a closed primary state. Your party registration determines your ability to participate in these primaries.
4. Help Spread the Word!
Share this information with your like-minded family, friends and colleagues. Voter turnout can be low during mid-term elections - we need your help to inform your network(s) and engage voter action!
Fight for Fair Voting Districts in Florida
In 2010, Florida voters passed two constitutional amendments prohibiting the establishment of partisan districts. This year the legislature originally adopted relatively fair maps. Then Governor DeSantis stepped in to both veto the legally created maps and propose his own, which were approved by a compliant Republican legislature in the recent special session.
Described as "one of the nation’s most aggressive congressional maps," the DeSantis map adds four GOP congressional districts while eliminating three held by Democrats. Among the districts eliminated are two predominately Black districts in north and central Florida. The GOP would effectively hold 70 percent of the state's congressional seats, despite the fact that the two parties each account for roughly the same number of registered voters.
The legal challenges have already begun but likely not in time to affect this year's election. This overreach by the Governor is not popular and needs to be called out again and again. Click here to support the legal challenge, and here for background on the issue to power Letters to the Editor & conversations with friends & neighbors. Be sure the people you know understand the Governor's illegal and unconstitutional power grab.
Building Momentum for the Midterms
Get involved with BAM! Advocate for progressive ideas and help us create a strong ground game for elections in 2022.
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Join our Social Media team: Last year, BAM's Facebook posts drew hundreds of new people to our website to consult our 2020 Election guide. The broader audience we can attract on social media, the more effectively we can reach voters across Duval County. If you're a regular on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, join the BAM social media team and post regularly about the issues you care about. Email John Weldon to learn more.
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Join our Letters-to-the Editor team: BAM members have published more than 18 LTEs since May of this year in the Beaches Leader and Jacksonville Times-Union. Join this dynamic group for fellowship, advice, and a chance to speak out. Email Nancy Staats to learn more.
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Join our Voter Outreach team: It's time to reach out to register new voters, sign people up for Vote-by-Mail, and educate ourselves & our neighbors on the candidates and issues. We'll be post-carding, phone- and text-banking, Covid-permitting even canvassing. Watch this page for specific signups. If you're not on our regular email list, join here.
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Help us build BAM. Attend our meetings and events, invite your friends & forward our emails. BAM holds monthly gatherings with guest speakers on national, state and local topics of importance to progressive voters. Check out our upcoming events.
Contact Corner
Reach out. Make Your Voice Heard!
The single best way to influence elected officials is to reach out and tell them what you think. From School Board & City Council all the way up to the US House & Senate, politicians keep track of what their constituents say. Speak up any time an issue matters to you. The links below will take you to lists that make this easy and quick.