NO OFF YEARS

The stakes couldn’t be higher as we head into 2022. Democracy is still under attack. And there’s work we can do to save it right now. Whether you’ve been ready to keep going since the Georgia run-offs or need a friendly nudge to take a break from Netflix and get back to work, No Off Years is the place for you.

What Is it?

After the incredible success of Adopt a State in 2020, our goal for 2021 is to once again support the groups and organizers laying the groundwork in key states ahead of 2022 through remote volunteer opportunities, targeted donations, and education on what’s at stake next year and beyond. From fighting back against partisan gerrymandering in key states to helping register new voters and having early conversations with gettable voters who need a reason to show up to vote next year, No Off Years will help you get connected with the groups on the ground doing the work right now.

2022 is the most important election of our lifetimes (yes, again)

Here are a few examples of what we’re up against and what No Off Years is designed to help get a head start on:

Smanchinema-Proof OUR SENATE MAJORITY

Even though Democrats control the White House and both Houses of Congress for the first time in a decade, we’ve watched in frustration as those leaders have been hamstrung by a broken system that gives a minority in the Senate the power to undermine the agenda supported by a majority of the country. If we can expand our majority by even one seat, that opens up possibilities for a much more progressive agenda than our current majority supports—one that could include raising the minimum wage, taking more decisive action on climate change, protecting reproductive freedom, and more. Holding a Senate majority is also critical when it comes to maintaining a foothold in the Supreme Court as well as appointing judges in lower courts across the country.

The good news is Democrats are not defending a single Senate seat in a state Trump won in 2022. Our toughest races will be protecting incumbents in purple states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Hampshire. And Republicans are defending seats in two states Biden won — Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. There are also potential pickup opportunities in North Carolina, Florida, and maybe even Ohio. If you loved your adopted state in 2020, chances are they have a Senate race that will need your help in 2022!

Due to the gridlock in the Senate, it can sometimes be easy to forget that House Democrats are passing some big deal bills and would like to continue doing so with a Senate majority that might actually help them become law! If we don’t hold onto the House in 2022, a Republican majority would not only make it impossible for any progressive priority to move forward, they would also very likely spend the next two years trying to impeach President Biden over something they heard on Fox News. Not to mention the (very scary!) fact that the Republican “plan” to steal the 2020 presidential election by stopping the certification of the electoral results failed because Democrats controlled the House. If Republicans take the majority in 2022, Democrats lose one more line of defense and an attempt to steal the next election could be successful.

In 2020, we focused on key battleground states to get to a majority in the Electoral College and win the White House. In 2022, even some of the bluest states like California, New York, and Illinois will have competitive House races that will make the difference in Democrats holding onto a majority. That means in 2021, we can get to work early on registering new voters and start having conversations with less likely voters well in advance of even knowing who our candidates might be.

SAVE OUR STATES

Fighting voter suppression has become a little bit like whack-a-mole this year with new laws popping up faster than Marc Elias can smack them down. In states where Republicans control the legislature and the governor’s seat like Georgia, Florida, and Texas, they didn’t waste any time in passing new laws this year that will make it harder for Democrats to win. And while Republicans control the legislatures in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, fortunately Democratic governors have stopped those states from passing similar laws. Each of those governorships is up in 2022. If we lose those seats, the very first thing a new Republican governor will do is make it harder to vote in places where President Biden had some of his narrowest margins of victory in 2020.

One big lesson of 2020 was don’t sleep on secretaries of state — the state officials that administer elections. Trump tried to illegally bully Georgia SOS Brad Raffensberger into tossing out legally cast votes in Democratic areas. Holding this office also gives Democrats a chance not only to make it easier for people to vote, but also to fight back against voter suppression efforts and a layer of protection against Republican election theft.

WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST

We’re not exaggerating when we say everything is at stake in 2022. The outcome of next year’s elections at every level—from state house to Senate—will determine whether any progressive priorities, not to mention American democracy itself, has a fighting chance going into 2024 and beyond. The playing field isn’t level, which means we’ll have to work even harder. Here’s why:

Gerrymandering

Right now, Democrats only have a majority of eight seats in the House and zero seats in the Senate (Vice President Harris is the tie-breaking vote that makes for the narrowest of majorities).

The 2022 Congressional map will feature newly redrawn districts after the data from the census comes in (we’re expecting that to happen in August). Experts believe that the Republicans can erase the narrow Democratic majority simply through partisan gerrymanders in those states. Democrats could lose as many as a half dozen seats because of the new maps.

Voter suppression

Republicans across the country have been working overtime to pass legislation based on Trump’s Big Lie, and those laws to prevent non-existent fraud will stop real voters from making their voices heard in future elections. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, as of June 2021, 17 states enacted 28 new laws that restrict access to the vote, and at least 61 bills with restrictive provisions are moving through 18 state legislatures.

Control of the Senate in 2022 and the White House in 2024 goes through states with new voter suppression laws on the books since 2020—Arizona, Georgia, and Florida are now going to be a lot harder for Democrats to win going forward.

Don't forget about S1

We know we can’t out-organize GOP power grabs like extreme partisan gerrymandering, which is why we’re not giving up the fight on passing federal legislation like the For the People Act. Senate Democrats have the power to stop the wave of voter suppression laws sweeping the country and end partisan gerrymandering once and for all. Take a look to see, in their own words, where your Senators stand on eliminating the filibuster. If they’re on the fence, give them a call using our tool below. The more they hear from people about how important this is, the more likely they are to reconsider where they stand.

CALL CONGRESS

THE GOOD NEWS

2020 was an unprecedented year in American politics and 2022 may be as well. Historically, the president’s party almost always fares poorly in midterm elections, so the odds are against us. But we have to do everything we can to make sure that voters understand the stakes and the choice ahead of us: A country where our leaders continue to fight for a progressive vision of America, or one where the people who’ve been attacking our democracy take power. We can’t assume we’ll see the same levels of turnout it takes for Democrats to win and overcome new voter suppression laws: We need to get to work — right now — to make sure it happens.

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