NCJW Weekly Advocacy Wrap-Up: August 13
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NCJW is committed to promoting and protecting the vote as a
foundation of our democracy.

Here in California, the 2021 California Governor Recall Election will be held on September 14, 2021. This election seeks to recall (remove from office) our current California Governor, Gavin Newsom.

Please exercise your right to vote.

Here’s some information you may find helpful. Check your mailbox:
  • Sample ballots from your County are now being mailed.
  • On August 16 vote-by-mail ballots will start to be sent out to all registered voters.
 
Here’s what’s on the ballot. The ballot contains two questions:
  • Question 1. Should the Governor be recalled (removed from office)? Yes or No?
  • Question 2. If the Governor is recalled, who should replace him?

You can vote on Question 1, Question 2 or both.
You can vote on Question 2 no matter how you voted on Question 1
.
Watch here for updates.
It’s your VOTE
Make it COUNT
Dear Advocates:
It’s the Jewish month of Elul, the month leading in to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. This is the season of tshuvah--repentance--a time to address and repair harm, and begin to create a different future--in our own lives, and in our nation, too. Our country has never done tshuvah for many of its wrongs, particularly those committed against Black and Indigenous people--and so we repeat those harms in different ways, often manifesting as systemic racism.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was critical for both democracy and Civil Rights. But since the VRA was gutted in 2013, many states have enacted barriers to voting--which harm democracy, often targeting, and impacting, people of color most of all. We, as people of faith, are obligated to fight for equal access for everyone.

Right now, Congress is not taking enough action to pass legislation protecting voters from unfair burdens and increased barriers to voting. Our vote is our voice. Our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard.

On August 28, the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic March on Washington, NCJW is joining March On, SEUI, National Action Network, and the Drum Major Institute for the March On for Voting Rights. We’ll gather in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and Phoenix — and other cities across the country — to demand that elected officials denounce voter suppression and ensure fair, easy access to the vote for all.

Don’t miss: The Faithful Democracy coalition will kick off this exciting week of action with a virtual, interfaith event, “Faithful Democracy: A Moral Prelude to Marching” on Sunday, August 22 at 3pm ET. Join NCJW and other cosponsor organizations to hear from inspiring faith leaders about why our voices are needed now more than ever. Register for the event today.

Please join us and make sure to print out NCJW’s Our Vote Is Our Voice poster to bring with you. We look forward to showing up in person and virtually alongside our partners to make our voices heard. This is part of our work as Jews, and as Americans, doing tshuvahand working to create a future that can be different from the past.
Warmly,

Sheila Katz
CEO
Members of Congress and Senators are soon to be taking their August recess. NCJW’s ally HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) urges us to connect with them regarding these significant issues:
 
  1.  A pathway to citizenship to be included in the Senate's Reconciliation package.   
  2. The Biden administration has announced it won't be rolling back Title 42 expulsions anytime soon, despite medical professionals saying this is unnecessary.  
  3. We need our members of Congress in both houses to make sure the Biden administration keeps their word with a refugee admission determination of 125,000 AND a budget that makes sure the resources are there to meet this number.

HIAS has put together talking points,
Join us for Vote Forward letter writing!
Our section is ready and writing.

Go to https://votefwd.org/ncjwca Log in or sign up, but don’t adopt any voters on this screen. Go to View All Active Campaigns and select the Social Campaign
We're writing and stockpiling 1.5 million letters to voters in Virginia in advance of the general elections on November 2. Virginia’s odd-year elections tend to serve as a bellwether for the midterm elections, so boosting turnout is crucial.

The Virginia campaigns have two waves:
FIRST WAVE: We start with a “vote by mail” letter wave, and stockpile those letters until we mail on Saturday, September 18, right when absentee and early in-person voting begin.
SECOND WAVE: When all of those letters are written, we’ll roll out a wave of “please vote” letters, and stockpile those letters until the Saturday, October 16 mail date.

Quiet summer days are the best time to write letters!

P.S. Forever stamp prices are expected to increase by three cents in August, so now is a great time to replenish your stamp inventory.

Questions? Email: advocacy@ncjwlongbeach.org