We talk a lot in the League about big things: protecting voting rights, informing voters, making democracy work. All of that matters. But some of the most powerful civic engagement happens on a much smaller scale, in the front seat of a pickup or across a kitchen table.
This election season, I’m asking every one of us to do one simple thing: take a friend to vote.
Why it takes a little courage
It may not sound brave. But it takes some nerve to say to a neighbor, a coworker, or the young man who bags your groceries, “Would you like to go vote with me?” It feels personal. Most of us were raised not to talk about politics, and we worry the invitation will sound like pressure.
It isn’t pressure. You aren’t asking anyone how they’ll vote. You’re saying: your voice counts, and I’d like your company. That’s an act of friendship and an act of citizenship at the same time.
Make an occasion of it
Voting can feel like an errand, something to squeeze in between the bank and the feed store. What if we treated it like the privilege it is?
- Meet for breakfast or coffee, then go vote together.
- Bring a carload from church, your book club, or your street.
- Wear something red, white, and blue, or just your best hat.
- Take a photo together outside the polling place with your “I Voted” stickers. (Phones and cameras aren’t allowed inside, so save the celebrating for the parking lot.)
- Afterward, have lunch and talk about what it felt like.
Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers marched so women could do this. Let’s honor that by enjoying it.
Who might need a hand?
Look around. Some people would vote if someone just made it a little easier.
The friend without a ride. In our rural counties, the polling place can be miles away. An older neighbor who has stopped driving, a young parent with one car, someone whose truck is in the shop: a ride may be all that stands between them and the ballot box.
The friend who can’t get it together. We all know someone who means to vote and somehow never does. They forget, or the day gets away from them. Pick a time, put it on both your calendars, and show up at their door.
The friend who is nervous about the machines. Plenty of capable people feel intimidated by touchscreens and unfamiliar equipment. Go together. Stand nearby. Remind them that the election workers are there to help and that no question is a silly one.
The friend whose first language isn’t English. Voting in a second language can be daunting. In Texas, a voter may bring someone to help, including an interpreter, as long as that person isn’t the voter’s employer or union representative. The helper takes a simple oath at the polls. Check with your county elections office if you have questions.
The friend with a disability or limited mobility. Texas offers curbside voting for voters who can’t easily stand in line or walk into the building. Be the friend that takes the mystery (or the embarrassment) out of voting curbside.
Make a big deal out of a first vote
Few moments in a young person’s life mark adulthood as clearly as their first vote. Yet most 18-year-olds cast that first ballot quietly, if at all.
Let’s change that. If you know someone voting for the first time, a grandchild, a student, a young employee, the teenager down the road, make it a milestone. Take them yourself. Buy them a milkshake afterward. Give them a card. Post their picture (with permission!). Tell them about the first time you voted.
People who vote early in life tend to keep voting. A little celebration now can start a lifelong habit.
A few practical tips
- Know the dates. Early voting runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Bring photo ID. A Texas driver’s license, Texas personal ID card, or Election Identification Certificate will do. Remind your friend before you pick them up.
- Bring a Voters Guide. You can bring your own notes into the booth; just don’t show them around.
- Check hours and locations (they're in the Voters Guide) or with your county elections office, since they vary from county to county.
One person, one invitation
Democracy isn’t only something that happens in Austin or Washington. It happens when one neighbor says to another, “Let’s go together.”
So this week, think of one person, just one, and ask. You may be surprised how often the answer is yes.
See you at the polls, and bring a friend.