Let's Get Out the Vote!
TOGETHER - we have so much more power than some want you to believe.
How are you feeling? That this system is rigged. That many are working harder and harder, but getting further and further behind. That the cost of everything keeps going up.
How are you feeling? That the economy favors the few, not the many. That the political process is broken and controlled by big money.
How are you feeling? Powerless.
Yes, currently the system is rigged to favor the few, not the many. Income inequality is historically high. Big money in politics is unprecedented. Corporate media and social media are full of disinformation. Billionaires are allowed to spend millions to keep spreading propaganda. You may be feeling powerless because of all this. You may think: my vote doesn’t matter.
But, here’s the thing: Despite what the billionaires want you to think, you are not powerless and your vote does matter. Why do you think the current administration and the Republican led Congress want to make it much more difficult for people to vote (e.g. The “SAVE” Act)? They know this is your power. They know this is OUR power. And they don’t want you to have that power.
But, there is a way forward. There is a way to unrig the system. Let’s use our power to build a new framework that favors the many, not the few. If you want change – real, lasting change – the most powerful thing you can do is vote. And the second most powerful thing? Help others vote.
That’s why Indivisible Greater Grand Rapids is going all-in on Get Out The Vote from now until November. We’re partnering with groups to do a new kind of canvassing – one that listens to voters instead of preaching at them. We hear their concerns, their issues, their struggles. And we connect them to their power.
Canvassing. Maybe that doesn’t sound like something you’d like to do. And, anyway, it doesn’t really work, does it? Yes, the way canvassing has been done in the past can seem invasive and ineffective. People don’t want to be bothered and you don’t want to bother them.
But this new kind of canvassing is very different. Last year, a volunteer, nonprofit organization organized a broader, more listening-oriented approach to talking with voters in various elections. These elections were in swing districts that had challenging demographics. This kind of listening canvassing resonated. It worked! The impact of this new, more relational approach to talking to our fellow community members? They didn’t just win half of their campaigns, they didn’t win 70%, or 80%. They won 100% of their campaigns. And these were in challenging, swing district elections!
Not only that, the canvassers actually enjoyed talking to the people in their community. Here’s what some volunteer canvassers have said about their experiences:
“People surprised me with their willingness to share their stories. I think when we aren’t trying to pressure people into voting or supporting a particular position, we can really connect with them and learn a lot.” — Drew L., OR
“(This type of) canvassing is just having conversations with people. It felt good to ask open-ended questions and listen to the answers without the pressure of getting a commitment to a candidate or a plan to vote, so the experience was much deeper. Everyone I spoke to was happy to talk, and to share their fears, their anger, and their hope.” — Mara D., IA
“(This canvassing method) made it easy to connect with people on a human level and learn what’s important to them without putting transactional politics front and center.” — Michael K., OR
“If you like talking to people—especially hearing your ordinary fellow citizens share their feelings and circumstances without pressure to do it quickly—then this provides real ground truth experience.” — Sandra R., AZ
So, while canvassing has the reputation as being transactional and intrusive, this new approach is much more relaxed, relational, and rewarding. It’s really getting back to the basics of having conversations with all kinds of people. You’re not trying to win an argument or convince them of something, or even steer them toward something. You’re just listening, engaging, building relationships with community members.
If you want to save democracy, if you want to have a fair, equitable, and just society, you can do something about it. For sure, you need to vote. And if you want to do more, then one of the most impactful things you can do is remind people of their power to vote.
Join us as we develop at Get Out the Vote canvassing team to harness the power of our votes and create the kind of society that works for everyone.
Sign up here to get involved.
How YOU Can Help!
IGGR has created a Get Out the Vote team. Please join us as we work to save Democracy! It’s up to us to take back our country and voting -- and encouraging others to vote -- is the way to do that. You can volunteer here.
Saturday, May 16 at 10 am - 3 pm. Get Out the Vote Canvassing! 185 E Main Street, Benton Harbor, MI. Join Chicago Indivisible and help flip CD-04 by canvassing! Sign up here to help flip CD-04, Bill Huizenga’s district. (Future date: June 14)
Saturday, May 16 at 10 am. Kent Dems Canvassing. Kent Dems HQ. 301 Fuller Ave NE. The Kent Dems are kicking off spring with our first Canvass Launch of the year! Come help us reach out to voters and connect with the community. Sign up here.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor (N2N) is Indivisible’s relational organizing tool that focuses on building real relationships, not just transactional conversations. The first 2026 N2N campaign is focused on offering ICE preparedness resources, ensuring that our neighbors have the information they need to stay safe and informed. Connecting with your neighbors now for this action will make it easier for future GOTV actions. You don’t need to be an expert; you just need to show up. Sign up here. And if you’re feeling nervous, bring a friend! Seriously, it makes it way more fun.
Not sure where to start? Check out this quick read from the Indivisible team: How We’re Going to Defeat MAGA, 10 Doors at a Time
Help Ensure Voter Registrations are Active and Voters are Prepared. This is the time to be working on voter registration and to help make sure that registered voters have active registrations and know what they will need at the polls to cast their ballots for 2026. The Trump administration is working hard to intimidate voters, to purge voter rolls, and to suppress the vote. Share this website with EVERYONE you know, in every state across the US to they can verify they are registered to vote:
Vote.org offers a one-stop shop to double-check one’s registration status; if a citizen is not registered, they can sign up in minutes online through the site.
The Election Protection Corps is a grassroots network of volunteers located in Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio dedicated to protecting the right to vote before, during, and after the 2026 election. When federal protections are removed, defending democracy becomes a community effort.
Sign the pledge today to commit to joining the Election Protection Corps. By signing up now, you’ll receive strategic updates via email and text, training opportunities, and critical calls to action during key election protection moments in your state. Join the Election Protection Corps
Sign up for Postcards to Voters, a group of American volunteers who write postcards to targeted voters in the hope of increasing Democratic turnout in close, key elections across the country. This is something you can do from the comfort of your own home, whenever you have a moment.
Write letters for Vote Forward. Vote Forward is a broad-based national effort to encourage voter turnout by participating by sending millions of letters to potential voters in underserved communities in key states. The majority of their letter writing campaigns are nonpartisan, focusing on mobilizing potential voters in historically marginalized communities—such as people of color, women, and young voters. This is another thing you can do from the comfort of your own home, whenever you have a moment.
Kent County Dems Postcard Project
The information in this article originally appeared here, on our Substack on April 1, 2026. The opportunities to help are included in our weekly newsletter.