It is mid-October and I know that the only thing on your mind is if it’s appropriate to be a slutty for Halloween. But we’re here to tell you something else should be on your mind that’s happening like, a week after Halloween and that is Election Day. Yes, you know, the thing Taylor Swift wrote that suuuppper long Insta post about. Just kidding. We know you’re all smart, capable women who are stoked to vote, and not just because you’re going to get a sticker.  (Though it is awesome to get a sticker.) Since we know you’re already going to the polls, this voter guide is here to help you figure out wtf to do when you get there. Do you have a voting plan? Are you registered? Do you think being a slutty feather duster is too on the nose?

Here is everything you need to know about voting, it’s like the cheat sheet you used to pass AP Bio. Aww, #tbt.

Wait, Can I Register Right Now?

We get it, you don’t want to read this whole entire thing. Register to vote right tf now,  by clicking here. But then also do read the rest of the article because we like, worked hard on it and sh*t.

Is It Too Late To Register?

Voter registration laws can be vary a lot from state to state, so making sure you know wtf is up where you live is important. Check here to see if you are registered and click here to see your state’s deadline for registration. Many states have same day voter registration, which is amazing for the procrastinators among us. You can also click here to find out your state’s specific registration requirements.

If you missed your deadline and can’t register the day of the election, you should low-key be a little embarrassed, but don’t worry this is a safe space. Consider atoning for your sins by phone banking for a candidate of your choice. Recruit one new person to vote and it’s kind of like you never missed the deadline at all! Kind of…

Can I Vote Early?

Nothing is more fun than being a trendsetter. Many states have early voting, which is basically like the Disney Fast Pass of democracy. No waiting in lines. No bullsh*t. You just cruise right into Indiana Jones exercising your civic duty with zero hassle. Click here to see if your state has early voting so you can get voting out of the way before Election Day. Then go out and get yourself a sticker because you deserve it.

What About Voting Absentee?

Voting absentee – like the jager bomb – is something many people experience exclusively in college. Whatever the reason, if you can’t show up to the polls on election day you can always vote absentee. Click here to get your absentee ballot in less than 2 minutes.

Okay, I’m At The Polls And They Aren’t Letting Me Vote. Do They Know Who My Dad Is?

Some districts have a shady past of turning away voters who are indeed registered to vote, or just have overworked and/or inexperienced poll workers who can’t find your name for whatever reason. Don’t freak out. If this happens, repeat after me: “Give me a provisional ballot with a receipt as required by law when requested.”

Write that on your hand if you need to. Practice saying it in the mirror Elle Woods style. If for any reason you are not able to cast your ballot, do not leave the polling place until you’ve filled out a provisional ballot, then be sure to follow up with your state to verify your identity and make sure your vote is counted. And then go buy yourself two stickers for all the extra work you had to do.

What if something Shady Is Going Down At My Polling Place?

You’ve watched enough true crime documentaries to know when something shady is going down. Have a hunch or doubt that there’s an issue at your polling place? Call 866-OUR-VOTE or text election protection” to 97779 and let them know what problems you’re encountering. Maybe Mariska Hargitay will show up!

Wtf Is On My Ballot?

Don’t get caught in the voting booth staring at a bunch of names you’ve never heard before running for positions you know nothing about, or propositions written in language your brain can’t comprehend. The good bros over at Crooked Media created a way for you to preview your ballot so you won’t be caught off guard by anything on Election Day. Filling in random bubbles based off what answer sounds the best may have worked for your AP Bio exam, but it def won’t fly on Election Day.

Wait Why Am I Voting Again?

Look, we put a lot of jokes in this article because we’re Betches and that’s what we do, but voting is really f*cking important. Chances are there is an issue you care about, and Election Day is your opportunity to make your voice heard. A recent poll showed only 26% of 18 – 29 year olds were likely to vote in the upcoming election, whereas 82% of those 65 and older are likely to turn out. That’s like, sad and embarrassing. It’s sadbarrassing.

That’s why The Betches Sup has partnered with Crush The Midterms to make identifying causes you care about and finding out how to support them come November as easy.

Click Here To Come Up With Your Own Personalized Midterm Plan 

See you on November 6th! 

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

If there’s one thing that should be keeping everybody up at night (apart from waiting for a text back) it’s climate change. And it turns out things are somehow even worse than we’d feared. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report this week that basically says if we don’t do everything in our power to keep temperature rises due to climate change under 1.5 degrees C or we’re all totally f*cked. Casual. If we fail to do this, the IPCC warns that there will be “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” And somehow I feel like these “changes” are less the “I got bangs!” kind and more the “my house just washed away because of rising sea levels!” kind.

So WTF Does This Report Say?

Basically this report says we need to get off our asses and address climate change ASAP or face the consequences. They estimated that we have 12 years – aka until 2030 – to get our carbon emissions under control. It’ll be expensive, but the window to do something is still open. According to this report, sweeping changes to literally every aspect of our energy systems, land management systems, and transportation are needed to limit warming to 1.5 degress. If we do this, we can hang (i.e. continue living on Earth). If we do not do this, we can no longer hang (i.e. we all die in a flood.) Cool cool cool cool cool…

So WTF Can We Do?

Soooo on an individual level, there actually are a few things you can do. According to this report, individuals who want to reduce warming levels can buy less meat, milk, cheese and butter and buy more locally sourced food. Basically, find your most annoying vegan friend and ask them their secret. You can also drive electric cars, or opt to walk or bike short distances (I mean, who doesn’t love hitting their 10k step mark?). Taking trains and buses instead of plans also helps, as well as using a washing line instead of tumble drying your clothes. Also take time to demand low carbon in every product that you buy.

That said, no individual person switching from whole milk to almond is going to make the difference. We need widespread change from the top down to stop this sh*t from happening. Unfortunately, there is one political party on the face of the planet that hasn’t gotten the memo re: climate change, and that’s the party that is currently in charge of all levels of government in the United States. Bummer.

Lucky for those of us who would prefer not to drown there is an election coming up on November 6th where you can make your voice heard on climate change by voting for candidates who support science, common sense, and not dying.

Click here to make sure you’re registered to vote and find the climate-friendly candidates you can support this November. 

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

Well, it’s taken nearly a decade but Taylor Swift has finally taken a successful stab at Kanye. How? Oh just by a simple Instagram post. Did she drag him in it? No. Even more brutal. She got over 65,000 people to register to vote at a time when Kanye is regularly sporting a MAGA hat.

On Sunday, Swift wrote a lengthy Instagram caption about the importance of registering to vote and why she is backing Democratic candidates in her Tennessee elections. She also explained why she couldn’t in good conscience support Marsha Blackburn, who is Trump’s woman of the hour.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! ????????????

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

If you’re thinking like “so what? aren’t all celebs political these days?” you’re wrong! The most political Tay Tay has ever been before this is hosting those elaborate Fourth of July models-only parties in the Hamptons. So to come out and be like “this Blackburn bish wants to make it easier for sexual assailants and stalkers to do their thang and harder for nice gay people to do their thang,” that’s really saying something. It’s the ultimate breakup song, if you will. Blackburn, bye.

In the 24 hours following her post, Vote.org’s director of communication said 65,000 had registered to vote. To give you an idea of how coo coo bananas that is, in the entire month of September they organization registered 190,178 people total.  When you have 112 million Instagram followers, I guess what you post gets a response from more than just your mom and college roommate (this is a self-own.)

Obviously this caught people off guard because everyone was assuming Taylor would just keep mum and continue writing songs about cute football players who spelled her name wrong of something. Well, women speak up now so you can’t just bet on blondes from the south to get in line with the GOP.

Here Are The Angriest Reactions

Mike Huckabee doesn’t have a clear grasp on how time works. Taylor Swift’s formerly 13-year-old fans are now off their parents’ insurance and voting. But way to reveal what you really think about young women, Mike.

So @taylorswift13 has every right to be political but it won’t impact election unless we allow 13 yr old girls to vote. Still with #MarshaBlackburn

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 8, 2018

Tabatha Lobotomy obviously had something to say because doesn’t she always?

Taylor, you’re wrong. I’m so Marsha Blackburn ALL the way.

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) October 8, 2018

President Trump said that he now likes Taylor Swift “25%” less, which, by the Transitive Property Of President Trump, means that I now like her 100% more.

A day after Taylor Swift endorsed a Democratic candidate over a Republican in Tennessee’s Senate race, President Trump isn’t shaking it off.

“Let’s say that I like Taylor’s music about 25% less now, OK?” he said to reporters with a laugh. https://t.co/EDdWlkG2tx pic.twitter.com/LRQwURYOve

— CNN (@CNN) October 8, 2018

And Here Are The Happiest

Of course, there were people who loved Taylor throwing her hat into the political circus. Looks like she’s added a few more folks to the Swift Army. (My favorite type of army tbh.)

I think now is a safe enough time to admit I still listen to the RED album with semi regularity.

— Phillip Picardi (@pfpicardi) October 8, 2018

Hot move bebe @taylorswift13 – always been so proud, always will be https://t.co/i3FWcaofNd

— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) October 9, 2018

And then there are those who understood that there’s likely a huge PR team behind this, but still!

Huge congratulations to whoever finally convinced Taylor Swift to get on the right side of history.

— KB (@KaraRBrown) October 8, 2018

So this November when all these voting-age Taylor fans show up at the polls, we can look back on all the bullsh*t politics has dealt us this year and say “look what you made me do.”

Click here to make sure you’re registered to vote and find out how you can support the causes you GAF about this November. 

Check out our Betches Sup Podcast episode with Crush The Midterms founder Marisa Kabas to find out more about how you can get involved and support causes you believe in this November.

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!

I know this is truly wild to say in 2018, but I have some amazing news for you. The Betches Sup is teaming up with Crush the Midterms to help making getting involved in the 2018 midterm election as convenient, easy, and effectively as possible. So fetch! So, what exactly does this mean and how can you participate? Omg, I’m so glad you asked!

You can use this link to visit our partnership website, and from there everything is super simple and straightforward. Once you’re on the website, click ‘Let’s Go!’ and fill out the short questionnaire. Based on your answers in this survey, a detailed and personalized plan will be provided for you, both on the site and sent to you via email. It will tell you when to vote, who will be on your ballot, places you can volunteer, organizations and people you can donate to, and more!

There is also an option to add any and all of the suggested events to your calendar, so you don’t forget. It’s literally so helpful and easy to use, not unlike the shot glass necklace I used to wear to parties on St. Patty’s Day in college. Except this assists with making helpful contributions to society.

If you’re reading The Sup, I know you understand how crucial it is to get involved in the upcoming midterms. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, what to do, and where to put your energy. A lot of us have found ourselves saying, “there should be an app for this.” This is essentially that. You’re welcome.

Visit the website today and get your activism plan started! Being politically active is v chic in 2018. Also, IDK if you’ve noticed, but its like, v important.

Heads up, you need to keep up with the news. It’s not cute anymore. That’s why we’ve created a 5x weekly newsletter called The ‘Sup that will explain all the news of the week in a hilarious af way. Because if we weren’t laughing, we’d be crying. Sign up for The ‘Sup now!