At certain points, the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which aired Aug. 17–20, seemed more like an awards show than a political event. In between politicians making speeches in favor of Democratic nominee Joe Biden, a different actor hosted each of the four nights, and musicians such as John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and Billy Porter performed throughout.
“A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, and I was absolutely terrified,” said “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus as she hosted the final night of the DNC. “One of the first people who called me was Joe [Biden]. His real warmth and kindness in that call, man I gotta say, it made me cry.”
It’s not just the DNC, actors around the country are getting political this year: Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand, and George Clooney have headlined virtual fundraisers for Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris. Cher will headline a virtual LGBTQ+ political fundraiser on Aug. 31 (the Oscar winner also joined a day of action on Aug. 22 in support of the USPS).
Meanwhile, the newly launched Broadway for Biden initiative is hosting weekly phone banking parties, with Broadway stars such as Christopher Jackson, Adrienne Warren, and Ephraim Sykes participating (those events end with a sing-along).
There Is No Stopping Adrienne Warren But actors don’t have to be A-list in order to make a difference. Below are five ways that performers can get political right now. And most of them don’t even require leaving the house!
Check Your Voter Registration
Do you know if you’re registered to vote in the presidential election on Nov. 3? The first thing to do is check. Vote.org helps users check their voter registration, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, find their polling place and (for good measure) fill out the 2020 census. It also provides mail-in ballot deadlines and early voting information for all 50 states.
So the first thing to do is to check your voter registration and register if you need to, or request an absentee ballot if you’re unable to vote in person (fear of exposure to COVID-19 is considered a valid reason to not go to the polls). Or if you’re able to vote early, that’s even better, in order to make sure your vote is counted.
Here’s a checklist, courtesy of Alyssa Milano: “Vote early. Check your voter registration. Request an absentee ballot.”
Encourage Others to Vote
After you have checked and filled out your information with Vote.org, make sure your friends and family fill it out too. You can also help get out the vote by signing up to work with When We All Vote, the initiative co-founded in 2018 by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monáe, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw. When We All Vote is billed as “a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election.”
It was recently announced that the cast of the television show “The West Wing” will reunite for an event on HBO Max, which will benefit When We All Vote. The cast will do a staged theatrical presentation “Hartsfield's Landing” episode, from the third season of the Aaron Sorkin show. It will be filmed at a Los Angeles theater over several days in October. The air date will be announced later.
When We All Vote is also taking volunteers to help host voter registration events in their community. The organization will train any volunteer and provide resources and strategies on how to best turn out the vote.
“We vote to honor those who came before us and to protect those who will come after us,” said Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle during a recent When We All Vote event. “Because at this juncture, if we aren’t part of the solution, we are part of the problem. If you aren’t going out there and voting, then you’re complicit. If you’re complacent, you’re complicit.”
Sign Up to be a Poll Worker
If you are comfortable being around other people, then you can sign up to be a poll worker on Election Day. According to Power the Polls, there is a shortage of poll workers; there are still 250,000 poll workers needed nationally to maintain community polling places and to guide people through the voting process. A lack of poll workers means closed sites and long lines to vote on Nov. 3.
Lebron James, Kevin Hart, and a number of athletes and artists have partnered to create More Than a Vote, to encourage people to sign up as poll workers in Black electoral districts and to keep polling sites in Black communities open.
“For those who are young and healthy, volunteer to work the polls on Election Day. The average poll worker is 60 years old. Most cannot risk COVID-19 to ensure we can vote. Our grandparents, parents, aunties and uncles are being asked to risk their lives to open a polling location? No way. And don’t just volunteer to work polls, but volunteer to work in the most vulnerable communities where you are needed,” the group wrote in an open letter that ran in the Undefeated.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a poll worker can sign up via Power the Polls, which has information on how to sign up in all 50 states and their respective districts (and some polling sites will pay volunteers a stipend).
Adopt a State
Every presidential election usually comes down to a handful of swing states. That’s why the team behind Crooked Media, which was co-founded by three of former President Barack Obama’s staffers, decided to create Adopt a State. The initiative encourages people who live in red or blue states to “adopt” a battleground state (Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) and support the Democratic coalition in those states.
Adopt a State then sends those who sign up info about how to support the work of organizers, volunteers, and candidates who are fighting on the ground in those states. It is also another way of supporting voter turnout.
Anyone can adopt a state, including celebrities. “Billy on the Street” star Billy Eichner has adopted Florida, as he tweeted: “You can Adopt A State to help get out the vote in battleground states. (I adopted Florida because I love and appreciate dysfunctional families). Join me.”
Get on the Phone
If you’re more politically passionate, then you might want to phone bank for your preferred candidate. If you don’t know which candidate best aligns with your beliefs, I Side With is a handy guide.
Both the Biden and Donald Trump campaigns have phone banking events listed on their site. Broadway for Biden and Trump Victory are two independent organizations focused on phone banking for the presidential candidates.
There’s also the events hosted by independent entities that aren’t just about the presidential election. Indivisible, Swing Left, and Adopt a State are some of the few left-leaning initiatives that are also focused on local and congressional races. Represent.Us (endorsed by Jennifer Lawrence) does phone banking in protest of corruption and gerrymandering, and in support of safe and fair elections.
Considering that actors excel at communication and persuasion, what better ways to put those skills to use during this time than by getting out the vote or advocating for your preferred political candidate?
Said Ashley Park, who was in the original cast of “Mean Girls” on Broadway, on her Instagram: “I was on the phone for 25 minutes with a woman ironically named Regina. And she is my new best friend, and she is all for Biden, and she’s been to an inaugural ball, and is just the best. I can’t believe I made a new best friend named Regina who’s in her late 70s!”