Friend,

Our vote is our voice. If we want to change the course of our country and build a better future for all Americans, we need to make sure Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win this election. To do that, we need to make sure that we vote in numbers too big to rig and then, of course, count every vote.

I’m encouraging everyone to make a plan for voting. Given the spiking rates of COVID-19 across the country, in large part because of President Trump’s refusal to take the virus seriously, voting early in person or by mail may be the safest way to vote. Over 50 million people have opted to vote that way. By voting before Nov. 3, we can keep lines short for people who must vote that day and give states more time to count every vote.

Click here to visit our state-by-state map to see what early voting options your state has available.

You know the stakes of this election are high. You know we need leadership to address the five concurrent crises that our country is experiencing and that have been made worse by Trump: COVID-19, the economic recession, systemic racism, climate change and threats to our democracy. You know he has refused to help schools reopen safely. You know he has nominated a justice to the Supreme Court who will not commit to protecting healthcare and Americans with pre-existing conditions. The best way to make change right now is to vote.

Because many states will not start counting their mail ballots until Election Day, we will probably not know the results of this election on Nov. 3. Trump knows that and has consistently worked to cast doubt on this election and undermine the results. In many states, the Republican Party is actively working to suppress the vote by restricting when ballots can be counted, closing polling places, limiting ballot drop-off locations and more.

With the deadlines and rules for voting in flux, it’s imperative that we plan to vote early if possible. We must make sure our voices are heard. And we must encourage our friends, families and communities to do the same. We cannot be afraid of the bullying or intimidation that Trump and his allies are threatening. I plan to vote early in New York City this Sunday, and I encourage you to do the same if you can.

We cannot wait until the last minute. Click here to visit the AFT Votes website to see what early voting options your state has available and make a plan to vote as soon as possible.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT president