Super State Georgia

“Joe Biden put Georgia in the Democratic column for the first time since 1992 by making huge gains among affluent, college-educated and older voters in the suburbs around Atlanta, according to an Upshot analysis of the results by precinct.” – New York Times

The votes for the president and the US Senate are shown left. 100,000 voters who voted for Biden did not vote for Ossoff. Out of 115,000 voters who voted for the Libertarian Senate candidate, 53,000 voters voted for VP Biden or against 45th. Majority of the remaining 47,000 voters did not care to vote for the US Senate race. Only 800 voters voted for Senator Perdue, but not for the 45th.

To win these 2 runoffs they need to fill in the vote deficit by registering new voters, turning out voters of color including those skipped the general election, and persuading voters who may not vote Democratic. The Libertarian voters are wildcard, who may or may not vote Democratic. This is a very difficult election to predict, and so much is at stake. Voter contacts must be made both in person and over the phone. GA campaigns are asking Out of State volunteers to leave in person voter contacts for GA organizations.

  • Voter Registration deadline: Dec 7, 2020 (Becoming 18 yrs old before the runoff Jan 5, 2021, moved or purged voters)
  • Advanced Voting (aka Early Voting) in person: Dec 14-31, 2020
  • Election Day Voting in person: Jan 5, 2021

What is a runoff election?

In Georgia, a candidate needs to get more than 50% of the vote in the general election in order to win. When no candidate surpasses 50%, there’s a rematch between the top two, in a runoff election. There are 3 statewide runoffs on Jan 5, 2021. An US Senate (Jon Ossoff vs Senator Perdue), an US Senate Special Election (Rev Warnock vs Senator Loeffler), and a Public Service Commission District 4 (Black candidate Daniel Blackman vs Incumbent Bubba McDonald).

Voting in GA

GA is a voter suppression state which electorate is changing rather rapidly.

  • At My Voter Page votinginformation.org/georgia → mvp.sos.ga.gov voters can find
    • voting locations for early voting & election day
    • mail-in application and ballot status
    • provisional ballot status
    • voter registration status
  • In person Voting:
    • Polling location: Call or text “vote” 678-679-2405
  • Absentee (mail in) Voting:
  • Felons can vote once they completed the sentence: You are considered to have completed your felony sentence for the purpose of voter eligibility if you have completed any term of incarceration, probation, or parole and paid all fines, unless such fines are cancelled upon completion of your term of incarceration, probation, or parole (e.g., when the fines were imposed “as a condition of probation,” they are automatically cancelled upon completion of probation). Your felony sentence is considered completed even if you have outstanding monetary obligations other than fines, such as unpaid restitution, fees, costs, or surcharges.
  • Automatic registration was implemented in September 2016. The biggest reason for increased number of voter registration.
  • GA voter registration asks voters’ race, but not party affiliation. So each voter has to be contacted to identify their support.

What can we do to help?

You can help the elections in many ways, and traditionally we focused on the candidates and their campaigns. For lasting change to happen we need to educate and empower voters. We need to invest organizations working on the ground in the disenfranchised voters and communities.

Organizations/ CampaignsTargetsActionsThrough Dec 7Dec 14-Jan 5
Ossoff CampaignDems/leaning DemsThruTalk/ VPB ConnectVoter Registration/ ID/Absentee Ballot/ PersuasionEarly Vote/Ballot Chase/GOTV
Warnock CampaignDems/leaning DemsThruTalkID/Absentee Ballot/ PersuasionPersuasion/GOTV
CA Dems with GA Victory 2020 Coordinated CampaignInfrequent voters Dems/leaning DemsThruTalk/ VPB ConnectID/GOTV
Fair FightRising American Electorate: people of color, unmarried women, young AmericansThruTalkVoter registration/Early VoteEarly Vote/GOTV
Swing Left Tri-Valley with Reclaim Our Vote campaign (nonpartisan)Voters of color (2.7M active and 352,000 unregistered voters)PDI
Texting
Postcards		Unregistered voters
Mail postcards on Dec 7		Early Vote/Ballot Chase/GOTV
Working America (nonpartisan)Apolitical working class votersThruTalk
Letters		Member recruitmentPersuasion/GOTV
Mail letters on Dec 23
Vote Forward (nonpartisan)Voters who are unlikely to vote
Social campaign: underrepresented voters
Political campaign: Democratic leaning voters		LettersBallot Request thru Dec 7
GOTV: Mail letters on Dec 7
  • Donate
    • Working America (nonprofit 501c3 & 501c5) A union movement which targets working class voters through issues.
    • Voter Participation Center (nonprofit 501c3) Focusing on the Rising American Electorate (all People of Color, Unmarried Women, and Young voting eligible Americans).
    • Black Voters Matter (nonprofit 501c3 & 501c4) Increasing voter registration and turnout, advocating for policies to expand voting rights/access and equity to build and increase power in black communities.
    • New Georgia Project (nonprofit 501c3) A nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians.
    • Fair Fight (PAC) Promoting fair elections in Georgia and around the country, encouraging voter participation in elections, and educating voters about elections and their voting rights.
  • Make calls with Swing Left Tri-Valley
    Saturday Phone Banks: 10am-1pm PT Nov 21-Dec 26
    Early Voting Phone Banks: 1-4pm PT Dec 13, 20, 27, 28, 29 & 30
    GOTV Phone Banks: 10am-1pm & 1-4pm Jan 2, 3, 4 & 5