Dear John,

In a normal year, Labor Day is the unofficial start of the presidential campaign season. In a normal year, kids are back in school. Voters are starting to be bombarded with political ads on TV and in their social media feeds, while in battleground states, candidates hold rallies and town hall meetings.

But 2020, needless to say, is not a normal year. And the next two months, analysts agree, will be an unprecedented election season. Americans are likely in for a wild roller-coaster ride with news breaking 24/7. There will be stories about threats to mail-in and absentee balloting and concerns over in-person voting during COVID-19, and coverage of foreign governments—and our own—seeking to manipulate voting procedures and suppress overall voter participation.

In our expanded Fall issue, we examine how the ongoing battle over voting rights will have an impact on the country’s ability to hold fair elections during a pandemic, as well as on the difference women will make as voters and candidates. Equality is on the ballot as perhaps in no previous election, and the opinions and voting preferences of women will play a crucial a role in the outcome. The results of Senate and congressional races could determine whether or not the Equal Rights Amendment will be finally added to the Constitution, whether the Affordable Care Act will survive legal challenges, whether voting rights will be restored, and what the future will look like for DREAMers.

Join the Ms. community today and you'll get this expanded Fall Election issue delivered straight to your mailbox. 

Here's a glimpse at what you'll find inside the upcoming Fall issue:

• In-depth analysis of the gender gap, where women fall on major issues and the power of women’s votes to decide the coming elections. 
• A special report on the U.S. Senate seats up for grabs this November: Democrats are fighting to flip the Senate, and many believe that it will be women candidates and women’s votes that determine if they succeed. 
• A feature story on the voter suppression efforts being employed in this election cycle. We also lay out how you can get involved—by volunteering as a poll worker or election protection volunteer—to help counter these strategic voter suppression campaigns and protect our democracy. 

When you become a member of Ms., you get the magazine in print or on our app, or both—and you’re the first to get information alerts and event invitations from our team. When you become a member, you're supporting independent, feminist media—and becoming part of a global community of feminists who care about the issues that matter to you.

Join today to get our expand Elections issue delivered straight to your mailbox—and fuel our truth-telling and reporting throughout the most important election of our lifetimes. 

For equality,

Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor