VOTE BY PAL
Welcome to Vote By Pal!
Vote By Pal is an online tool that connects Americans who can vote but don't want to with Americans who wish they could vote, but can't.
Created by social practice artist Donna Oblongata, Vote By Pal launched in 2020, and has come back for 2024, with the understanding that many Americans are now more frustrated/apathetic/hopeless about the prospect of voting than ever before. Simultaneously, many Americans are disenfranchised (due to criminal records, immigration status, &c.) and feel passionately about the potential power of voting. Vote By Pal leverages and highlights the power of solidarity by offering folks who are resistant or apathetic about voting the opportunity to vote on behalf of a disenfranchised “pal” that the project connects them with.
In 2020, Vote By Pal connected multiple sets of pals, and resulted in real votes being cast when they likely wouldn’t have otherwise. The Philadelphia Inquirer commissioned an op-ed about the project from Donna Oblongata, which can be read here.
Vote By Pal is not about "maximizing turnout" or getting any one person or party into office. 😎
It's very simple, and not high tech at all.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
Fill out the simple form, specifying whether you're a registered voter or are unable to vote.
You'll then be connected with a voting "pal." If you're registered to vote, you'll be connected to someone who can't vote. If you can't vote, you'll be connected with someone who can.
Once you've been connected with your new pal, the person who can't vote can tell the person who can vote who they would vote for if they could.
