Last week, my home state of Georgia swung blue for the first time in almost 30 years. Outsiders were surprised, but Georgia is the heart of the civil rights movement, a long-time hub of feminist and abortion clinic activism, and has deep union roots. Even in spite of its long racist history and deeply entrenched white supremacist culture, Georgia has never been as red as it seemed. The Black woman-led movements working to make our government more representative of the people prove it: rather than compromising with those on the far right or catering to racist, norms, they registered 800,000 new voters. Those voters are largely responsible for turning Georgia blue.
Now, Georgia is poised to singlehandedly help Democrats regain control of the senate. Our current representatives, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, are among the worst in the nation. Perdue in particular is known for openly displaying contempt for the people he represents. Defeating them will be difficult now that the entire Republican apparatus has descended upon Georgia, but it is possible. And their defeat will mean Democrats again control the senate.
You can help us win this fight, no matter where you live. Here’s how.
Encourage Georgians to vote
If you know anyone in Georgia, urge them to vote. They have until December 7 to register to vote if they are voting for the first time. If they are already registered, the sooner they vote the better. Request an absentee ballot here. The in-person runoff election is January 5.
A number of organizations are rallying people to send personalized postcards to voters. They include:
Georgia Postcard Project
Postcards to Voters
The New Georgia Project hosts voter registration drives and trainings. Join one here.
Get Involved With Successful Georgia Organizations
Georgia organizers know what they’re doing. That’s how they’ve been able to elect real progressives to a notoriously conservative legislature, pass prison and bail reform legislation, and register nearly a million new voters in a few years. Get behind the work that’s already happening. The New Georgia Project, Fair Fight Georgia, and Southerners on New Ground are among the most effective. For a comprehensive list so you can find an organization that aligns with your values and preferred style of organizing, click here.
Donate money
Every campaign needs money. Donate to Jon Ossoff here or Raphael Warnock here. Right now, Ossoff’s campaign is bringing in more money than Warnock’s, so consider giving to the latter. Consider also donating to any of the above-listed organizations that are working to register voters and get out the vote.
Donating to candidates and organizations isn’t the only way to make a financial difference. Most Georgia organizers are normal people, with few resources. Many are parents who work full-time in addition to volunteering. Consider how you might donate to their work by paying for childcare, car repairs, or a hot home-delivered meal.
Give Your Time
You don’t need to have money or connections to get involved in flipping the Senate. Visit the websites for any of these organizations to get involved right now. Some other ways to help include:
Don’t get distracted by new organizations run by white male outsiders
The day after the election, I was inundated by Facebook invites to new supposedly progressive groups. All of them were run by white men, most of whom live outside our state. None had any connection to local organizations, and they did not seem to have any real understanding of Georgia politics. Other activists all reported the same thing. These groups are a distraction, and divert funds away from the groups that have been doing work on the ground for years. Check to see who the leadership is before donating to any organization. If it just started or is not working with local progressive groups, then it has no history of success and deserves neither your time nor money.
People have discounted Georgia’s progressive power for years. Don’t be one of them. We can flip the senate. And if we want to roll back the harms Trump has done, we must.