SOMA Action Blog
Everything you need to know about voting in NJ, all in one website!
Member Spotlight: Bill Graves
From his participation on 3 committees, to serving as a "Vanquish the Villains" co-captain, Bill has been a staple of our organization from its early days.
Q: Let's start with a brief bio: where you're from, when did you come to the area, what you do, that kind of stuff...
My wife, Loraine, & I moved to Tuxedo Park from Vailsberg [West Ward of Newark], in 1982-83. The move was 1 block west & 2 blocks south from our home in Newark. We moved to be in the South Orange Maplewood school system. Our oldest child was two at the time…
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SOMA Actions: Week of October 5th
We are in the home stretch! Click below for this week’s action opportunities:
PA Phone & Text Banking every day until the election!
PA GOTV Training
PA Poll Observer & Hotline Training
Malinowski Phone Bank Thursdays
Flip NC Phone Bank Sundays
Reclaim Our Vote NC Phone Bank Sundays
CLICK HERE for details on all the above, a Vanquish the Villains update, and a Save the Date for “Portland, Policing, and White Supremacy” with Eric K. Ward (October 27)
Be sure to check out our ELECTION 2020 page on our website for our calendar of events and other useful resources.
It’s our last chance to donate! Here’s why and how.
While 2020 has given rise to “rage donating” — you know, when you indignantly hurl money at a good cause anytime a Republican does something appalling — there’s less than a month until Election day and we all need to financially focus.
Mid-October, in fact, is about the last time your campaign donations do any good. To explain why — and to help you easily formulate your best, final financial push toward a blue wave — SOMA Action recently talked to Cate Mayer…
SOMA Action Joins Amicus Brief Supporting Dismissal of RNC's Vote By Mail Challenge
SOMA Action joins computer scientists and NJ Appleseed as Friends of the Court on a Motion to Dismiss the Trump Campaign and the Republican National Committee’s latest effort to suppress the vote in New Jersey.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The New Jersey Legislature and Governor Phil Murphy have required each NJ county to mail a ballot to every active registered voter. “The enemies of democracy attacked this effort immediately, just as they reportedly have in 300 other lawsuits,” says SOMA Action Voter Rights Committee Co-chair David Harris. SOMA Action is proud to join this fight to support our right to vote, and wishes to extend many thanks to Professor Penny Venetis, head of the International Human Rights Clinic at Rutgers Law School, for leading charge.
What You Need to Know About NJ’s 3 Ballot Measures Before You Vote
Your Super-Easy Guide to NJ’s 3 Ballot Measures in 2020
By Rose Maura Lorre
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. You’ve been looking forward to casting your ballot for months. Maybe you've even been writing postcards or text-banking to get out the vote. The big day finally arrives and suddenly you remember… you forgot to find out anything about the referendums on this year’s ballot.
Never fear! We’re here to explain the three public questions (a.k.a. ballot questions, initiatives, measures, etc.) on New Jersey’s 2020 ballot, as well as how we at SOMA Action think you should vote on them and why. Consider the info below your crib sheet to a better democracy!
SOMA Actions: Week of September 28th
There are only 35 days until Election Day. Actions to take this week:
Pennsylvania Voter Protection September 29
Malinowski Phone Bank Thursdays
Last Week To Join The Big Send by October 1
Ballot Question # 3 October 1
Flip NC Phone Bank Sundays
Reclaim Our Vote NC Phone Bank Sundays
Details and other updates HERE. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to get this info straight to your inbox every Monday morning.
"Portland, Policing & White Supremacy: What Can We Do?" with Eric K. Ward
Tue, October 27, 2020
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM EDT
This program is sponsored by the Summit Foundation, the Summit Interfaith Council's Anti-Racism Committee, Congregation Beth Hatikvah and SOMAAction. We invite everyone concerned about racism, policing in the United States and the growth of white supremacy to join us for this program.
46 Songs for our 46th President: SOMA Action’s 2020 Election Soundtrack on Spotify!
Need a soundtrack for these tumultuous times? Some rockin' tunes to accompany you while you write postcards? A motivational beat behind you as you scroll the news?
46 Songs For Our 46th President - Joe Biden is here to help! Think of it as a playlist for your virtual road trip to November 3rd.
Each day between now and the election a new song will be added to the playlist...
“Monuments to Ethics,” a cartoon by Pete Cascio
Have you noticed the awesome comic book-style graphics from SOMA Action’s “Vanquish the Villains” campaign to flip the senate? Those illustrations - along with many of the other branded graphics that you’ll find on our blog and social media accounts - are the work of Pete Cascio, a local graphic designer…
Send “Christmas in Autumn” Cards to GOTV in your network
The election’s got you super-stressed and the still-raging pandemic has ratcheted your anxiety to an all-time high. One thing you’re probably not feeling now that fall’s upon us? The holiday spirit.
But here’s a surefire way to channel your fears into something we promise will feel both festive and productive: Send out “Christmas in Autumn” cards that double as get-out-the-vote activism. (Of course, feel free to substitute the seasonal holiday of your choice!)
That’s just one of…
How to Vote By Mail in Essex County
Not sure about your options for voting in the 2020 Election?
You’re not alone. It doesn’t help that one political party is working hard to sew more confusion.
Essex County residents (that’s all of us here in South Orange and Maplewood) can get the simple, straight scoop in this brief video from the Montclair Area League of Women Voters.
Postcard - a poem by SOMA Action volunteer Yana Kane
Dear Likely Non-Voter,
as I write this postcard to you,
trying to find just the right words
to convince you to vote,
as I slow down my hand
to be legible in passing to you…
TALK OUT THE VOTE: How to Use “Relational Organizing” to Make Sure Everyone You Know Votes
It’s 2020 and the Democrats were poised to run the biggest ground game in American political history. The swell of grassroots organizing fueled by the 2016 election delivered big-time in the 2018 midterms and was shaping up to be even mightier this time around.
Then a pandemic hit. Now — as far as old-school door-knocking is concerned — there’s virtually no ground game at all.
But here’s a secret…
NJ-10 Candidate Responses to our Questionnaire
One way that SOMA Action helps the community make informed choices is by providing information about candidates’ stances on issues important to our members. Two of the candidates running to represent NJ-10 (the congressional district that includes South Orange and Maplewood) responded to our questionnaire. Check out where Rep. Donald Payne Jr. and Dr. Akil Khalfani stand on the issues in this document.
SOMA Actions: Week of Sept 21
Welcome Amy Higer to the new role of 2020 Election Coordinator!
SOMA Action is thrilled to announce that we’ve brought on a 2020 Election Coordinator to support our efforts starting this week and continuing through the November 3rd election.
We’re even more thrilled to announce that this part-time, paid contractor role is being filled by one of SOMA Action’s earliest and most active members, Amy Higer…
SOMA Actions: Week of September 14th
Looking for a way to make a difference while social distancing? You have a lot of options to choose from this week! Click on THIS LINK for details on the following:
Talk Out The Vote With Jessica James Tuesday, September 15
Malinowski Phone Bank Thursday evenings
Reclaim Our Vote Phone Bank Sunday evenings
The Big Send
Save The Date for Pennsylvania Voter Protection Tuesday, September 29
Vanquish The Villains Updates
Message from our President, Ritu Pancholy
As the election season swings into high gear, I wanted to share some thoughts about how we reached this critical moment in our history, and more importantly, what we can do in the weeks ahead to secure a healthier, more equitable, and more peaceful future.
This year has been full of ups and downs. Across our nation, people are struggling under their new circumstances…