Dear Brothers, Sisters and Kin;

We hope you are all doing well during these unprecedented and difficult times. The political committee would like to remind members about the importance of the upcoming election on November 3^rd.

If you are not already registered to vote, the last day to register is October 19^th, 2020. If you need to check your voter status or if you have moved please contact the Secretary of State’s office at registertovote.ca.gov.

All Californian residents will receive a ballot by mail. If a voter chooses to mail in their ballot please make sure it is postmarked prior to November 3^rd and ideally by the last week of October.

Many counties will still have in person voting or drop off stations to deposit ballots, please check with your respective county for the rules in your area.

As the coronavirus continues to impact Americans across the country, there has been a staggering decrease in the number of people who are able to work the polls – which could mean closed polling places and long delays during the November election.

The AFL-CIO is proud to partner with Power the Polls, a first of its kind initiative to recruit poll workers to ensure a safe and fair election.

You can make sure we have a safe, fair, efficient election for all voters, and potentially get paid to do it.

Sign up to Power the Polls today.

Once you’ve signed up, depending on your jurisdiction, you will either be contacted by Power the Polls, a partner organization, or your local election administrators regarding your application.

The process to become a poll worker can be a bit complicated, but don’t worry; the Power the Polls team will help you along the way. In the coming weeks, Power the Polls will host briefings to provide you with more information about the application process and what to expect when you become a poll worker.

To state that this is one of the most important elections in our lifetime would be an understatement especially during this current pandemic.

This year we have the opportunity to vote for the Biden / Harris ticket. We can celebrate one of own local politicians on the national landscape. We just witnessed a successful Democratic convention where working people took center stage (and it was done Union unlike the Republican convention which for the first time ever was done nonunion).

Also of great importance to working people are two propositions:

Yes on Prop 15 Schools and Communities first would close commercial property loopholes and reclaim billions of dollars for schools and local communities. This would not affect individual homeowners and their current property taxes.

No on Prop 22 the Uber/ Lyft / Door Dash campaign to reclassify workers as independent contractors. A no vote would still allow workers to earn monies from these companies, but with added protections for these individuals. Currently these companies pay nothing into unemployment which has been a lifeline to our members during this crisis. These companies owe the State of California over $480 million dollars in unemployment insurance. If Prop 22 passes this will open the door to many industries using this method of employment and yes it will trickle down to us! A stagehand app is not out of the realm of possibility!! The fact that the Yes on 22 people are spending over $170 million dollars to pass this should tell you all you need to know as to whose side these people are on and it isn’t for the workers. Studies show that labor needs a 75% NO vote to defeat this proposition.

We would like to ask members to pledge the following:

I pledge to:

1. Text NO ON PROP 22 text 235246 message: GIG GREED
2. Text YES ON PROP 15 text 97779 message: COUNT ME IN
3. Vote in the November election
4. Support the Biden/ Harris ticket (even if they weren’t your first choice)
5. Vote Yes on Prop 15
6. Vote No on Prop 22
7. Share this message with ten people and ask them to share with ten people.

Also, if you are interested in being actively involved in the election the following opportunities are available:

The San Mateo Labor Council in conjunction with the San Mateo County Democratic Party have collaborated to bring us virtual phone banks dedicated to two ballot measures. Yes on Prop 15, No on Prop 22. You can participate on Wednesday September 16^th and Wednesday September 30^th from 6pm to 8pm by registering here: Yes on 15! No on 22! Phonebank.California Party.

As we get information from Alameda, San Francisco, the North Bay and Napa Solano Labor Councils on how you can participate we will let you know.

Together we can win and make America work for working people!

9-1-20 Political Committee Report.pdf