Tomorrow is Election Day. These are midterms, but reports nationwide, and in Kansas, indicate there is a decidedly un-midterm-like voter turnout underway. Early voting is overwhelming previous turnout records, and nobody knows what to expect tomorrow, on Election Day. We have long believed, at MainStream, that when more people vote, more representative government is elected, and that can only be good. Again, in 2014, half the electorate in Kansas did not vote, and we endured four more years of Governor Sam Brownback by the slimmest of margins. So this turnout is great!

But it can always be better.

Have your friends voted?

We trust you have voted by now, or have a plan to do so tomorrow. We are asking you now, today and tomorrow, to talk to the people you know, and ask them if they have voted. Not sure if they've voted yet? You can check by joining MainStream's team at Voter to Voter, our peer-to-peer GOTV tool. Add your people, match them to the public voter file, and see if they've voted yet!

• Check to see if people you know have voted: join MainStream's Team at Voter to Voter

MainStream's staff and interns will be out in the community tomorrow, asking and encouraging people to vote. You don't have to ask strangers, but we'd love it if you'd ask your family, your friends, your co-workers. (And if you haven't voted yet, follow along below, as if you were your recalcitrant friend!)

Here's what you can say.

"Have you voted yet?"

Yes

If they have, high fives all around! Ask them to make sure their friends have voted! Point them to votertovoter.org

No

"Why not?"

People have lots of good reasons they might not have voted yet, primary being that they like to vote on election day. Here are some possible reasons, and what you can do about it.

• "I like voting on election day." That's great, skip down to make sure they have a plan to vote.
  
  
• "I haven't turned in my mail-in ballot." They can still vote! They can take it with them to the polls on Tuesday, or they can still mail it, but it needs to be postmarked on Tuesday at the latest! Remind them that if they try to vote on Tuesday without their mail-in ballot, their vote will be provisional.
  
  
• "I don't know who to vote for." There are tons of voter guides and suggestions out there. First, send them to ballotready.org to see who is on their ballot, and learn about the candidates and their issues. MainPAC has a list of endorsements, as do other organizations (KNEA, Game On for Kansas Schools, Moms Demand Action, Planned Parenthood, Stand Up Blue Valley, Education First Shawnee Mission, and more).
  
  
• "I don't know where to vote." They can find their polling place at the official KS site, myvoteinfo.voteks.org
  
  
• "I'm not registered to vote." Get them registered for next time, it takes three minutes at ksvotes.org
  
  
• "My vote won't make a difference." In just the last few years there have been several races in Kansas that were decided by a handful of votes. In one city election in 2017, the result was tied, and decided by a coin flip! In another race, one candidate followed up on election day with people who'd cast provisional ballots, and won by just a few votes. The Governor's primary this year was won by just a few hundred votes. Their vote always counts.
  
  
• "I don't care about any of the issues." Politics makes the laws that affect them every day, from local taxes to sending the nation to war. Schools are funded by politicians. Roads are built by politicians. The price of food at the grocery store is taxed by politicians. Here's an article about what's at stake in this election, show it to them, or offer to send it to them: Here's What's At Stake When Kansans Vote This Year Boiled Down In One Place - KCUR
  
  
• "I hate politics." We're all frustrated with politics today, but staying away won't make it change, it just gives the people with the loudest voices an even bigger platform. The only way to stop the extreme partisan politics is to vote.

"Do you have a plan to vote?"

Studies show that if people have told someone, anyone, when they think they will go vote, the chances that they actually do it go up! So be sure to ask what time they are thinking of voting on Tuesday. You might be able to help them with other questions they might have, like where to vote, or who is on their ballot (see the links above).

This is it

This is it, the last moment to make a difference in this election. Remember, it starts here. With you. Do more than vote.