General Election Day is Tuesday, November 5 with local and national implications for your vote. In addition to making sure you vote early this week (find your county’s early voting locations) or on Tuesday (confirm your polling location), there is still time to help elect candidate who share union values through volunteering for Get Out The Vote (GOTV) outreach.
Kamala Harris for U.S. President
URA-AFT members worked to get out the vote in Philadelphia Oct. 19.
Since Pennsylvania is a swing state, URA-AFT members met in South Philadelphia Saturday, October 19 for door-to-door outreach in a union-dense neighborhood. Matthew Santiago said he joined the group because he feels this election in particular is “about preserving democracy.”
David Amiel, Matthew Santiago and Jariel Caraballo
Santiago felt it was important to check in with voters to remind them that their votes are important and to make sure they have a plan to vote. The research project assistant from the Institute for health, health care policy and aging (IFH) works with first and second generation immigrants to identify gaps in NJ health equity, by encouraging participation in the NJ Health Study.
The conservative policy document Project 2025 would endanger labor rights, threaten immigrant communities and undermine health insurance gains advanced by the Affordable Care Act so Santiago felt compelled to act to support Vice President Harris’ campaign.
If you can make it to Philadelphia, register for the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Labor Walks to Get Out the Vote in union households Saturday, November 2 and General Election Day November 5.
Join any of 12 New Jersey AFL-CIO Labor Walks throughout the Garden State on Saturday at https://ura-aft.org/2024-labor-walks-schedule/ and find out about Tuesday General Election GOTV activities.
Sue Altman for Congress
AFT members (URA-AFT, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, AFTNJ, HPAE) with Sue Altman (center)
The Seventh Congressional District has flipped between the major parties over the past several elections and remains a swing district. Sue Altman (https://www.suealtman.com/issues) earned the AFT endorsement with her steadfast support for workers as well as supporting the repeal of “the unfair and punitive Trump-era SALT deduction cap.”
Altman worked at Rutgers Camden starting in 2017 as a program coordinator and joined the URA-AFT. Union members have rallied to support her candidacy, at a GOTV event last Friday, October 25 in Westfield. AFT President Randi Weingarten characterized Altman as a committed educator who would stand for fairness for workers and safe staffing legislation in healthcare.
There is still time to volunteer for GOTV calls or house visits with Team Altman to Flip NJ-07 up to and including General Election Day Tuesday.
