Election Ahead: Free, Fair, Safe

With Election Day only hours away, now is a great time to appreciate the ways in which our community came together to help ensure a free, fair, safe, and accessible election in 2024. So take a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and be proud of our elections and all we’ve done as a community to protect and strengthen them this year.

As we hunker down to await the results, our team at A More Perfect Union is here to share a few important reminders for the hours and days ahead:

• In America, every vote counts because we believe every American’s voice should matter. That’s not true everywhere in the world, and it’s something we should be proud of.
• Our elections are protected by a system of checks and balances. Many people from both parties are involved in ensuring accuracy, transparency, and security at every polling location in the country. Stories about widespread fraud are often intended to shake your faith in this process. Don’t let them.
• It is very possible that we will not have official results until Friday or later. Vote totals, leads, and margins will continue to change during this period, especially through Wednesday morning. Remember: it’s better to be accurate than fast.
• Votes win elections, not media projections or candidate claims. Several states (like Arizona) have automatic recount laws triggered by small margins, while others (like Pennsylvania) have laws on the books preventing thousands of mail-in ballots from being opened or counted until Election Day. These are not delays. This is counting.
• Certification is not a choice. There is no legal justification to delay or refuse to certify a free and fair election. Voters decide the winner of elections and (valid) challenges are addressed in state courts. Certification is simply when the winner in a state or county is officially declared.
• The overwhelming majority of Americans reject election violence, whether meant to intimidate voters or challenge an outcome. It is un-American, we must reject it unequivocally.
• Rumors will spread on the internet, many using artificial intelligence to sow confusion. Be suspicious of anything labeled “shocking” or making incendiary claims. Always check sources and read or watch in-full before sharing.

Over the next few weeks, we will be here to share accurate information and keep us focused on our shared goal: a free, fair, safe, and accessible election, resulting in peaceful transitions of power at every level of government. We know there is much work ahead to strengthen a democracy that includes everyone and gives minority groups like us space to thrive. We will get there. Together.

About A More Perfect Union

We recruit and support Jewish institutions – the Jewish Partnership for Democracy – to make and achieve meaningful, action-based commitments to American democracy. These commitments ensure that locally rooted and relevant pro-democracy action is taking place in communities where it can be most impactful, and not just during national campaigns run by us or other organizations. Commitments represent intrinsically meaningful efforts to encourage a culture of democracy.

A More Perfect Union provides inspiration, resources, technical assistance and resources, training and networking, funding, and support to help our partners succeed at their commitments to ensure a groundswell of pro-democracy action all across the country.