It Ain’t Over Until It’s Over

By Jorge Vasquez, Program Director of Power & Democracy

When we woke up this morning, we knew not to expect the results of the presidential election. With a record number of people casting their ballot at the polls early, in drop boxes, and by mail, we anticipated that it would take longer than usual to count every vote and ensure that every voter is heard.

In August and September 2020, Advancement Project National Office formed the Young Voters of Color Advisory Committee to see what would drive young Black, Brown, Native American, and Asian American voters to the polls. We shared this with the media during Early Voting Week that young voter wanted to see change around systemic inequality and racism.

For the last two weeks, we have been on the ground with partners in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and we saw first-hand that young voters of color were in fact casting their ballots on behalf of racial justice and equality. They spoke up. They protested, and now from this election cycle, we know that Generation Z and Millennials are fighters, and vote by any means necessary.

And we’re still fighting because the election isn’t over yet. If you have already voted by mail, make sure you confirm that your ballot has been received and accepted. Look up your secretary of State or local election administrator’s website—there should be information about “tracking” your ballot’s status. States like Florida and Georgia also have systems in place where if there is any sort of issue with your ballot, there may be a process for you to fix, also known as “cure,” your ballot.

Advancement Office National Office continues to be on the ground advocating and fighting to protect voters’ rights and making sure that every vote is counted. While we don’t know the outcome of the election yet, we do know that this election has been a win for underrepresented communities because the country now knows that young voters of color are a force to be reckoned with at the polls. Finally, we also learned that intimidation doesn’t work for us. They came for us and we clapped back – this includes law enforcement. Our movement helped pushed through the static of this election. Now more than ever, our movement is more sophisticated, creative and motivated to build power because the will of the people will be heard. Are you ready to lend your voice to the movement?

Jorge L. Vasquez, Jr. is the Program Director for our Power and Democracy program. In this role, Jorge leads Advancement Project National Office’s voter protection, redistricting, rights restoration, and democracy initiatives throughout the United States. He has been recognized for his work as a national civil rights lawyer, policy influencer, and democracy expert.