7 Easy Ways to Protect the US Election Right Now

And no, anxiously refreshing 538’s homepage isn’t one of them.

Image by B Ban from Pixabay

Look. We’ve all been there. Anxiously refreshing 538's Election Forecast to see how likely Trump’s defeat is. There is something unbelievably satisfying about watching his numbers slowly fall. Seeing that blue line trending upwards. It’s as soothing as a cup of chamomile.

But polls, while sporting robust statistical methodology, are weakened by certain factors. Some people are less likely to respond to polls. Some people who respond to polls are going to forget to vote. Polls won’t capture any last-minute surprises, like last election’s email investigation re-opening.

So much is at stake this election. Human rights. Preventable Covid-19 deaths. Economic stability. We cannot rest on our laurels.

Here are 7 practical steps to protect American democracy, in order of ascending time commitment. Do as much as possible.

1 —Vote

Duh.

This should be obvious. If you are a US citizen able to vote, vote.

If you haven’t registered, do it now. Look up the location of your voting location. Triple-check all the information is correct if you’re voting by mail. Clear time in your schedule. Do…