Buy Votes, Cheat Like Hell - Action Alert, September 14, 2026

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Buying Votes & Cheating Like Hell

One thing is clear from last week's cringe-worthy GOP midterm convention --- Trump and his enablers know what's coming on November 3, and they are desperate to stop it. In his speeches, Trump offered a $5,000 dividend to every adult in the country if Republicans maintained control of Congress after the election. And he urged supporters to raise their hands and pledge to vote and "cheat like hell like they do" in the midterms, again raising baseless claims of Democratic voting fraud.

With the election 50 days away, it's up to us to make MAGA's worst fear a reality. That means rolling up our sleeves and working hard to get out the vote and help elect like-minded candidates who will stand up to Trump and his acolytes at the state level! Get involved! Every action --- big or small --- contributes to the blue wave the nation needs!

Make a pledge to vote. And make sure your friends and family do the same. Voting early is the best option! Check your voting status, and find all the information you need to vote at the Duval Supervisor of Elections (SOE) website.
Volunteer! Canvass, phone bank, text, postcard and contribute to candidates who share your democratic values: Angie Nixon, Rachel Grage, David Jolly, Donna Westrich, to name a few here in Florida. Check out our upcoming GOTV postcard campaign!
No Kings Vote Early! Mark your calendar for October 17th, the next No Kings national mass action. This time, we are committed to turning our anger into action at the polls. Watch for details on ways you can get involved locally in this nationwide effort to get out the vote and promote early voting.
Protect the Vote. At the BAM meeting last week, Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida, reminded us that we are the firewall for voter protection. We each play a critical role in fighting disinformation, helping people understand their voting options, and watchdogging the polls. Trump is working hard to sow mistrust in our election system. Our job is to make sure Florida votes! See more below on how you can help defend voting and safeguard the right to vote.

Protect Veterans' Benefits

As Trump continues to wage his illegal war in Iran, the House and Senate are trying to pass the "Take Care of America's Veterans Act," a massive bill that combines more than 60 bills intended to expand and reform veteran retirement and disability benefits. Among the most prominent provisions is the Major Richard Star Act, legislation that would allow many combat-injured veterans who were medically retired before reaching 20 years of service to receive both military retirement pay and VA disability compensation.

The issue? How these additional benefits will be paid for — the current bill proposes cutting up to $57 billion in existing disability benefits over 10 years, affecting millions of current and future veterans, to offset the costs. The VFW and other veterans groups support the bill's provisions but strongly oppose its funding through reductions or offsets that place additional burdens on other veterans and their families. Instead, proponents are urging Congress to use unobligated funding in the Department of Defense budget. Notes VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore, "A grateful nation pays its debts to veterans; it does not send them an invoice." Tell Congress to stand up for veterans by signing this letter crafted by Common Defense today.

Act Today: FL Childhood Vaccines Under Attack

Today (Monday, September 14th) is the deadline for submitting comments to the state Department of Health on its proposal to eliminate vaccination requirements for a host of preventable diseases for children entering school, child care, and preschool. Although this rule would not eliminate Florida’s measles vaccine requirement, the state’s worsening measles outbreak shows what is at stake when vaccination coverage rates fall. According to state data, Florida has already seen 156 measles cases this year – more cases of the highly contagious disease than the last 30 years combined. Act now! Submit a public comment using this letter by Florida Progress to the Florida Department of Health TODAY in opposition to this proposed rule that puts our children’s health in jeopardy.

Postcarders! Sign Up Now for

October GOTV Campaign

BAM's preparing to do another round of postcards in October to get out the vote for the midterms. We'll be urging voters who don't usually cast a midterm ballot to channel their anger over corrupt leaders, rising gas and grocery prices, housing and insurance costs, attacks on voting rights, and tax breaks for the rich into a vote for change! We are aiming high with a plan to reach out to 2,000 voters and need your help! Use this form to sign up --- think about gathering friends and help us get it done! We'll provide the postcards, addresses, a brief message, and stamps!

Interested in other postcarding opportunities? Here's a list of national campaigns that can also use our help.

How We Protect the Vote

BAM members and friends gathered last week for a presentation on election threats by Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida and a lead organizer of the Florida Election Protection Coalition. Four takeaways from her remarks to use and share:

Every voter should check their voter status either through Florida Register to Vote or your local Supervisor of Elections Office.
The biggest threat to elections is misinformation and distrust of the election system. Do not amplify fear by sharing social media posts and rumors. Reach out to the SOE at 904-255-VOTE (8683) to verify information.
Early voting offers the most flexibility in voting. Election Day is the most restrictive. Mail-in voting, despite Trump's efforts, is still a good backup. Find more tips on voting here.
All voters can play a role in election protection. Report any issues you experience or observe at polling sites to the national Election Protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE. Investigators from the Florida Election Protection Coalition will be dispatched locally to follow up. Volunteer! Be a part of election protection efforts.

Missed the meeting? Check out the recording on YouTube and this report on the top 10 election threats from All Voting is Local.

Save the Date!

RAISE HOTLINE: 1-888-600-5762

Have you recently seen, interacted with, been detained, or know someone impacted by ICE? Call the hotline. Alert local Legal Observers and connect detainees with assistance and resources. Email us to learn more about how you can help!