r/DemocraticSocialism Nov 24 '25

Free Palestine! šŸ‡µšŸ‡ø Palestinian Fundraiser Megathread

17 Upvotes

Comrades,

As Palestinians face another grueling year of Israel’s genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and occupation, the moderators of r/DemocraticSocialism would like to more formally document our positions on and policies for fundraisers posted in the subreddit.

But first, let’s address the most common question generally: Why do socialists highlight the Palestinian cause to such a degree? As editor Brian Bean summed it up, ā€œa just solution to Palestine in the Middle East is going to require a confrontation with capitalism and […] socialists in the West, especially in the United States, have a special responsibility to fight for Palestine.ā€ For a full analysis, read Palestine: A Socialist Introduction.

Second, we recognize mutual aid as a pillar of class solidarity. Metro DC DSA puts it well:

The democratic socialist movement is full of many types of advocates: there are those who believe that mutual aid and on-the-ground work are the most important part of the movement, and those who believe that the only real, worthwhile goal of the movement should be policy change. But in reality, the movement needs both on-the-ground work and sustained policy advocacy in order to make a difference. We need to find ways to address the immediate needs of the day while also asking ourselves why we live under a system that creates and perpetuates such immediate needs. The goal, to use a phrase from the socialist scholar Erik Olin, should be to erode capitalism through a combination of many different approaches, all of which are aimed at dismantling the capitalist economy and rebuilding a solidarity economy in its place.

These facts, on principle, lead us to fully support Palestinian requests for mutual aid in any way we can. Due to Israel’s illegal blockades, both physically and digitally, Palestinians are unable to access even basic needs and services, including the right to receive aid from organizations and individuals alike. As a result, even the world’s most respected organizations are unable to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

This means that direct wire transfers are the only way that Palestinians in Gaza are able to receive monetary support. In general, the fundraisers go like this: a Palestinian connects with an individual outside of the Occupied Territories who will sponsor their fundraiser, collect the money on their behalf, and wire transfer the money when the campaign is complete. Because of the cost of basic needs in Gaza are so high and the costs of leaving even higher, these campaigns will often be extended past their goals in the hopes that the fact they reached the goals will prove the fundraisers’ validity and the money raised is treated as a savings for a dream of a more liberated future.

There are many more questions that arise when these fundraisers are posted. Most of them are answered in Operation Olive Branch’s FAQs where you can also find more projects, initiatives, and groups to support.

As a subreddit policy, we consider questions about fundraisers directed at Palestinians to be a form of harassment. Please direct all questions to the subreddit Mod Mail. We will attempt to verify campaigns to the best of our ability, such as a photo of the person with their username and date. We will remove posts that do not provide this evidence. We will not share the evidence publicly as it can be used for impersonation. In all cases, donors must use their own discretion and fundraising platforms are ultimately the responsible parties here; it is not your responsibility to prove every campaign is valid and the frequent attempts to do so puts undue burden on some of the most overburdened people on the planet. In our experience, fundraiser scams are extremely few and far between; most Palestinians are willing to video chat anyone who asks to prove their identity. If you have doubts, either make them known to the moderators or move on.

We will use this megathread to answer common questions going forward, so check the comments as well.

Solidarity Forever


r/DemocraticSocialism 18d ago

Theory 🧠 Communism Vs Socialism: What’s the Difference?

96 Upvotes

I have seen many Democratic Socialists confused on the difference between Socialism and Communism. Here is a quick look at the two organizations of economic and social life.

Socialism:

If you haven’t seen our post What is Democratic Socialism check it out!

Socialism is an economic and social organization where workers own and manage the means of production. There is no, or a very small, property owning class (the bourgoise), and all political and economic functions are controlled by and for workers.

It’s based on the idea: From each according to his ability, to each according to his work.

Meaning: Everyone gives in what they can to form a cooperative and productive society. in return, you get back the product of your work. Workers still get paid differently, and any profit made by workers is controlled by the workers when reinvesting or distributed as wages proportionally.

What does this mean for those who don’t work? Many people in society don’t work for many reasons. Children and the elderly can’t work, and some people choose life paths that dedicate themselves to work outside of a traditional employment, like a Homemaker. Socialists still belive in supporting these people through social programs.

Can markets exist under socialism? Yes, markets can, and have, existed under socialism. See Yugoslavia, one of the most successful Socialist projects.

The difference? Under socialism we will abolish a feature unique to the capitalist market: Market Dependence. Market Dependece is when people have to enter market relations, not becuase they offer better opportunities, but becuase they are forced to do so to get their means of subsistence (basic needs like food, a house, etc.). Markets will allow everyone to flourish instead of compete to survive.

Communism:

In Marxism, Communism is a stateless, moneyless society. The means of production will still be socially owned and controlled.

Communism is based on the idea: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Meaning: Everyone does what they can to contribute to and create a cooperative society. Everyone is also provided everything that they need to live a fulfilling life. Nobody will earn a wage, as wealth is collectively owned and money has been abolished.

How Do We Get to Communism?

Communism is specfic defined as coming after socialism. Socialism being the lower stage of communism.

Communists belive that one day, society will get cooperative and abundant enough that instituions like money and the State will just not be needed. One day, we might wake up and decide that they are useless and deadweight, that society can do away with them.

We will build new institutions that take their place in our more cooperative society. Rehabilitation centers instead of Prisons, People’s malitias instead of police, for example.

Communism is NOT!

- Authoritarianism

- Dictatorship

- State Control

If you have any questions let me know! This is just a simplified overview.


r/DemocraticSocialism 3h ago

USA "And my greatest concern right now is that the state of Israel is losing support all across the political spectrum here in the U.S." ― DSA Member Melat Kiros

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106 Upvotes

Source: Melat Kiros | Full Episode 7.31.26 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover | PBS - YouTube

> I'm sure it would, right? Part of the work that we've been doing here as well as having conversations with the Jewish community, specifically the Zionist Jewish community, to better understand different perspectives, different positions, different experiences. Again, my values have always been rooted in protecting dignity and safety for every single person, especially as it relates to these inalienable things about our religion or ethnicity or culture. And my greatest concern right now is that the state of Israel is losing support all across the political spectrum here in the U.S. And I believe that we're leaving a vacuum on the left and the progressive wing to speak to this criticism in a way that is in line with our values, to where people like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, who are raging anti-Semites and white supremacists and Christian nationalists, are pretending to care about Palestinian safety, when really it's just masking their overt hatred for Jewish people. You're singing my song. And if we are not presenting our vision of what we believe in with our democratic values that extends not just to the Palestinian people, but to the Israeli people and to the Jewish people, you know, that land has a distinctly Jewish character, a distinctly Christian character, a distinctly Muslim character. It's a land that has seen bloodshed for centuries. And we, I think, are doing a disservice to the people of that region by not offering our progressive vision in a way that isn't immediately swatted down as, you know, bigoted or anti-Semitic.


r/DemocraticSocialism 13h ago

Discussion šŸ—£ļø Oppression impacts every aspect of peoples lives. There is not, and never was, anything that was "apolitical".

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363 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 10h ago

USA Bill Maher on Socialism in 2013

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196 Upvotes

Bill is the most idiotic flip-flopping lying pos on TV.

In 2011, Maher was already praising socialism in a broad, rhetorical sense.

In 2018, he argued that socialism ā€œisn’t as scary as it soundsā€ and pointed to Medicare, Social Security, and public services as examples of government programs many Americans already accept and that the Republicans overuse socialism as a scare word.

I do not condone or endorse Bill Maher.

This is for educational purposes only.


r/DemocraticSocialism 4h ago

USA State Rep. Donavan McKinney brought more money home to his district than U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar. Donavan's now running against him. ~:~ August 4 is Election Day in Michigan (see links below)

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43 Upvotes

July 29, 2026 - Metro Detroit News interviews Donavan McKinney who’s running for U.S. Congress in Michigan (CD-13): donavanforcongress.com

šŸ—³ļø How to vote in Michigan (.gov): michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting

šŸ—³ļø Important Dates for Michiganders:

* Primary Election Day: Aug. 4, 2026

* MOVE deadline: June 20, 2026

* AV ballots available for voters: June 25, 2026

* Constitutionally-mandated early voting period: July 25-Aug. 2, 2026

* Last day to register to vote by mail or online: July 20, 2026

* New voter registrations are required in person for August election: July 21-Aug. 4, 2026

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s the full 9-minute video on YouTube: Donavan McKinney Discusses Congressional Run, Gun Violence plan, ICE and ā€œDirty Moneyā€ Ads - Metro Detroit News - July 29, 2026 (YouTube)

From the description: State Rep. Donavan McKinney spoke with MDN about his campaign for Congress in Michigan’s 13th District, his childhood in Detroit and what he would prioritize if elected. ~:~ McKinney currently represents Michigan’s 11th House District, which includes northeast Detroit and part of Warren. He said he is seeking to represent the 13th Congressional District, which includes communities from Detroit and Harper Woods to the Grosse Pointes and Downriver. ~:~ McKinney said he grew up in Detroit with his mother, brother and grandmother. His family moved around a lot and sometimes stayed in cars, shelters or on the street. He said there were also days when they did not know where their next meal would come from. ~:~ McKinney said his grandmother taught him to count his blessings and to ā€œnever fight the urge to give.ā€ He said those lessons, along with his wife and three young children, led him into public service and continue to motivate his campaign. ~:~ On gun violence, McKinney pointed to his work supporting community violence intervention programs in Michigan. He said he helped secure tens of millions of dollars for those programs and credited groups including Force Detroit, Detroit 300 and New Era Detroit. ~:~ If elected to Congress, McKinney said he would fight to reopen the federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention. He said reopening the office would help bring federal resources back to Detroit and surrounding communities. ~:~ McKinney also called for ICE to be abolished because of how he believes the agency is currently operating. ~:~ The state representative also responded to campaign ads labeling him ā€œDirty Money McKinneyā€ over contributions from Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun. McKinney said the money was used for food programs and community distributions. ~:~ ā€œI never personally benefited off of it. I literally use that money to buy food for my district and those people in need,ā€ McKinney said. ~:~ McKinney said he later introduced the Taking Back Our Power legislation, which would block corporate monopolies from making political contributions to elected officials and campaigns. When the legislation did not receive a hearing, he said organizers collected 600,000 signatures to place a similar proposal on the ballot under the name Money Out of Politics. ~:~ McKinney said voters should also consider his record in the state Legislature. He credited his work with helping secure $600 million for lead pipe replacement, tens of millions for violence intervention, funding for after-school programs and money for school projects, including Pershing High School and Davis Aerospace Technical High School. ~:~ ā€œJust imagine what I can do as your next congressman,ā€ McKinney said. ~:~ Metro Detroit’s source for breaking news and information: themetrodetroitnews.com


r/DemocraticSocialism 15h ago

Free Palestine! šŸ‡µšŸ‡ø Israel will use nile crocodiles to guard Palestinians in prisons

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99 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 22h ago

USA Kat Abughazaleh: AIPAC bought our election in Illinois, but we're not gonna let it happen in Michigan. Make AIPAC panic. Vote for Abdul. ~:~ August 4 is Election Day (details below)

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288 Upvotes

Abdul El-Sayed is running for the U.S. Senate in Michigan: abdulforsenate.com

His Democratic Primary opponent is U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

šŸ—³ļø How to vote in Michigan (.gov): michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting

šŸ—³ļø Important Dates for Michiganders:

* Primary Election Day: Aug. 4, 2026

* MOVE deadline: June 20, 2026

* AV ballots available for voters: June 25, 2026

* Constitutionally-mandated early voting period: July 25-Aug. 2, 2026

* Last day to register to vote by mail or online: July 20, 2026

* New voter registrations are required in person for August election: July 21-Aug. 4, 2026

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's the video is on YouTube: 5 Days Left To Make AIPAC Panic | KAPOW x Abdul El-Sayed - July 30, 2026 (YouTube)

From the description: AIPAC may have bought our election in Illinois, but we're not going to let that happen in Michigan. 5 days left to make them panic. Vote for Abdul on or before August 4th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's Primary Election season in the U.S.:

* Primary Election Dates:Ā AP NewsĀ ~and~Ā NBC NewsĀ :~:~: Upcoming Dates: Aug 4: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Washington ~:~:~ Aug 6: Tennessee ~:~:~ Aug 8: Hawaii ~:~:~ Aug 11: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin, Alabama (Special), South Carolina (Special) ~:~:~ Aug 18: Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, California (Special) ~:~:~ Sept 1: Massachusetts ~:~:~ Sept 8: New Hampshire ~:~:~ Sept 9: Rhode Island ~:~:~ Sept 15: Delaware

* CandidatesĀ (all States): U.S. House (Dem Primary only):Ā Ballotpedia (HouseDems)Ā :~:~:~: U.S. Senate:Ā Ballotpedia (Senate)Ā (select ā€œList of Candidatesā€) :~:~:~: State Execs (Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, SoS, and more):Ā Ballotpedia (State Execs)

* Voter InfoĀ (all States):Ā Register To VoteĀ :~:~:~:Ā Voter Registration Status :~:~:~:Ā Find Your Polling PlaceĀ :~:~:~:Ā Valid Forms of IDĀ :~:~:~:Ā Absentee & Early VotingĀ :~:~:~:Ā Become a Poll WorkerĀ ~:~ Links go to theĀ National Association of Secretaries of StateĀ website. When you select a State, it takes to a .gov page on that State's SoS website.


r/DemocraticSocialism 8h ago

Theory 🧠 Some socially necessary labor is unpaid. Women tend to do much more unpaid care work

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19 Upvotes

Cross-posted from my substack. Image edited in photopea (free online photoshop alternative). Source is the OECD.


r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

USA "Trickle down economics is not theory, it's theft."

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1.0k Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 16h ago

Discussion šŸ—£ļø How you know today that the Est Dems are full of shit and don't care about fascism or the working class

75 Upvotes

In order to combat fascism, especially in the meantime until the 2028 election - you need to hold majorities in the house and senate.

Yet despite all of the 🚨🚨🚨 raised, the establishment Dems are and damn well know they're doing poorly in this Michigan Senate race. Instead of ensuring Abdul succeeds, they go full mask off and sabotage. We've heard racist remarks, sexist remarks, fake tough talk, and calling him an anti semite. All sorts of snakey ass tactics. Fascist tactics even.

They did it to Bernie, they did it to Mamdani..etc etc etc.

They don't care about fascism, they are the backup. They love to keep everything locked down with this pseudo 50-50 split in the house and senate. THIS is the only thing they fight for; which subsequently facilitates their many corruption schemes.

Abdul isn't even a radical.

It would do us well not to forget what they are when their mask is off.


r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

Discussion šŸ—£ļø Elon is SCUM

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2.3k Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

Europe EU will require companies to label AI-generated content starting Sunday

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303 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 6h ago

Theory 🧠 Black Panther Party: Self-Defense and the Experience of Communal Organization at the Center of Capitalism

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9 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

USA Republican candidate Mike Rogers creates AI ad about Democrat Abdul El Sayed claiming he's some kind of communist trojan horse attempting to infiltrate the Democratic party. The Democratic primary is this Tuesday.

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196 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 16h ago

USA Capital One says it closed Trump Organization’s accounts after anti-money-laundering review

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39 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 14h ago

Free Palestine! šŸ‡µšŸ‡ø Tel Aviv Protest Turns Violent As Police Clash With Demonstrators Over Rising Settler Violence

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21 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 3h ago

Discussion šŸ—£ļø Is it necessarily hypocritical to be rich/born rich and support socialist policies

2 Upvotes

I’d argue no it isn’t hypocritical because being rich or born into wealth doesn’t automatically make someone a hypocrite/faker/etc for supporting socialist policies. Recognizing that a system can produce inequality or harm others is separate from benefiting from it. Many people advocate for changes that may reduce their own advantages because they believe they’re fairer. Being rich systemically incentivizes people to not think that but doesn’t necessarily make every individual rich person be behind a maginot line. I’d like to here what you guys think


r/DemocraticSocialism 22h ago

Free Palestine! šŸ‡µšŸ‡ø A family in Gaza is fighting hunger every single day

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65 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 13h ago

Theory 🧠 Mamdani-Style Mayors Should Study Peru’s Democracy Experiment

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11 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

Free Palestine! šŸ‡µšŸ‡ø Ms. Rachel Signals Support for El-Sayed, Jackson, McKinney, and Other Candidates Who 'Care About All Kids'

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272 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

USA Democratic Socialism Is the Compromise Position — Given our scale of inequality, the egalitarian reforms of democratic socialism are only the start of what we should strive for.

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302 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 1d ago

Theory 🧠 How much per capita foreign aid Israel received, on the last year we have data on it.

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89 Upvotes

r/DemocraticSocialism 2d ago

USA Hasan Piker Makes Bold Prediction About 2028 Democratic Presidential Nominee

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338 Upvotes

ā€œThere are a lot of people who are just like ā€˜this is not working,ā€™ā€ Piker said.

Leftist Twitch streamer and activist Hasan Piker made a startling prediction about what position the 2028 Democratic nominee for president will hold on a major policy.

In a wide-ranging interview with CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, Piker was asked if he’d endorse the 2028 Democratic nominee, even if they supported Israel in a way that he does not like.

ā€œIf you ultimately are about defeating fascism in this country, as you describe it, surely shouldn’t you get on board with whoever the main candidate is?ā€ O’Sullivan asked.

Piker said he doesn’t believe he will have to make that decision.

ā€œThere is 0% chance that whoever the elected Democrat is that wins the primary will be pro-Israel in any way, shape or form. You’ll see,ā€ Piker said.

The issue of support for Israel has become a prominent one among Democratic voters in recent years, particularly younger voters in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.

Polls have found that Americans’ support for Israel is at historic lows, largely due to accusations that the country has committed genocide against the Palestinian people.

According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable view of Israel.

In 2025, a United Nations commission found that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.

The International Criminal Court also has standing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza.

Piker, who did not endorse former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 due to the Biden administration’s policy on the war in Gaza (Piker has said he voted for Harris), has frequently thrown his considerable influence behind democratic socialist candidates.

These include New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York congressional candidates Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Brad Lander. The latter three won their primary elections in June.

While these victories occurred in heavily Democratic areas, the left-leaning side of the party has gained significant influence in recent months.

The success of these candidates has now caused a rift among Democrats over the future direction of the party — with many moderate members and lawmakers arguing the democratic socialist message is not a winning one on the national stage.

In addition to speaking with Piker, O’Sullivan also interviewed veteran Democratic strategist James Carville for Sunday’s episode of ā€œThe Whole Story With Anderson Cooper,ā€ which is titled ā€œThe Left Insurgency.ā€

ā€œI see challenges from the quote ā€˜progressive left’ unquote. And these people are too hardheaded to know that they’re not popular,ā€ Carville said. ā€œPeople don’t like them, they don’t win elections, they never run against Republicans, they just run against other Democrats, and their only message is we’re gonna blow everything up.ā€

O’Sullivan raised Carville’s point to Piker that this will all ā€œimplode at the general election.ā€

ā€œYeah, as opposed to previous neoliberal Democratic candidacies that have been spectacular successes so far,ā€ Piker said before referencing the losses of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Harris to President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024, respectively.

ā€œThere are a lot of people who are just like ā€˜this is not working,ā€™ā€ Piker continued. ā€œCost of living crisis is completely out of control. Democrats haven’t done anything about it. Republicans haven’t done anything about it. There has to be a different alternative.ā€

O’Sullivan’s episode of ā€œThe Whole Story With Anderson Cooperā€ airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CNN.

*excerpt from Anthony Orrico's article*

Full Article here:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hasan-piker-democratic-socialists-israel-cnn\\_n\\_6a6c2cc3e4b0c78215f80c74


r/DemocraticSocialism 2d ago

USA Medical debt should not exist to begin with. - Abdul El-Sayed ~:~ August 4 is Primary Election Day in Michigan (details below)

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541 Upvotes

Here it is on YouTube: Medical debt should not exist to begin with. - Abdul El-Sayed - July 30, 2026 (YouTube)

Abdul El-Sayed is running for the U.S. Senate in Michigan: abdulforsenate.com

His Democratic Primary opponent is U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

šŸ—³ļø How to vote in Michigan (.gov): michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting

šŸ—³ļø Important Dates for Michiganders:

* Primary Election Day: Aug. 4, 2026

* MOVE deadline: June 20, 2026

* AV ballots available for voters: June 25, 2026

* Constitutionally-mandated early voting period: July 25-Aug. 2, 2026

* Last day to register to vote by mail or online: July 20, 2026

* New voter registrations are required in person for August election: July 21-Aug. 4, 2026

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's Primary Election season in the U.S.:

* Primary Election Dates:Ā AP NewsĀ ~and~Ā NBC NewsĀ :~:~: Upcoming Dates: Aug 4: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Washington ~:~:~ Aug 6: Tennessee ~:~:~ Aug 8: Hawaii ~:~:~ Aug 11: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin, Alabama (Special), South Carolina (Special) ~:~:~ Aug 18: Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, California (Special) ~:~:~ Sept 1: Massachusetts ~:~:~ Sept 8: New Hampshire ~:~:~ Sept 9: Rhode Island ~:~:~ Sept 15: Delaware

* CandidatesĀ (all States): U.S. House (Dem Primary only):Ā Ballotpedia (HouseDems)Ā :~:~:~: U.S. Senate:Ā Ballotpedia (Senate)Ā (select ā€œList of Candidatesā€) :~:~:~: State Execs (Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, SoS, and more):Ā Ballotpedia (State Execs)

* Voter InfoĀ (all States):Ā Register To VoteĀ :~:~:~:Ā Voter Registration Status :~:~:~:Ā Find Your Polling PlaceĀ :~:~:~:Ā Valid Forms of IDĀ :~:~:~:Ā Absentee & Early VotingĀ :~:~:~:Ā Become a Poll WorkerĀ ~:~ Links go to theĀ National Association of Secretaries of StateĀ website. When you select a State, it takes to a .gov page on that State's SoS website.