Many news stories, and even a FAWCO article, warn about current threats to democracy in the USA. While each of us is just one person, we can do much if we act together. But we must act now – Election Day for overseas voters is October 8, fewer than 70 days away.
- Register to vote before August 31, to maximize your chance of voting successfully.
- If you have registered/requested your ballot, make a plan to ensure that you cast a valid ballot.
- Then spread the word to every American you can find, through your FAWCO Club and in your daily life.
Use FAWCO resources: advice for individual overseas voters and advice on running a voter-registration campaign. Send questions or suggestions to .
The problem
The cascade of news stories from the US can leave Americans, within or outside the country, feeling depressed, isolated and unable to act. As a recent Washington Post article article showed, news reporting that includes not only the facts but also what people can do about them – called solution-focused journalism – reduces feelings of helplessness and spurs action: “When we see that positive change can occur, it helps us to see that our own actions matter and inspires us to become involved in efforts for social change.”
So what can we do?
What you can do about it
A CNN article lists various Americans’ advice about the most useful steps to take to protect US democracy.
- Vote – in every election at every level that you can.
- Protest (peacefully) – including writing or phoning your elected representatives to tell them your views (click here to find out how).
- Connect. In addition to voting, get involved in a wide range of groups and campaigns for voter registration, for voting reform and for candidates who will protect US democracy, to name just a few.
Voting may be one of the most important things to do, but time is running out to ensure that you can vote in 2022. Overseas Election Day is October 8, not November 8; our ballots have to travel to reach local election officials in time.
- If you have not yet registered to vote, do it before August 31. Waiting longer than that may mean your form isn’t processed, or your ballot is sent out late, and you can’t vote.
- If you have registered/requested your ballot, make a plan to ensure that you cast a valid ballot by receiving your ballot as quickly as possible, filling out completely and correctly, and returning it before the deadline set by your state.
- Then spread the word to every American you can find, through your FAWCO Club and in your daily life.
FAWCO can help you with all of these tasks. See our advice for individual overseas voters and on running a voter-registration campaign.