Why voting matters, tools to find out who to vote for, and WIN TEES on nov 6th

Midterm elections are less than a week away. Right now is the time to STEP UP and TAKE ACTION by getting educated on what’s on the ballot, so that together we can head to the polls and CREATE CHANGE. Like Michelle Obama said at a recent rally in Miami, “You wouldn’t give your grandmother the power to decide what clothes you wear to the club. You wouldn’t give your crazy uncle the power to post a picture to your Instagram feed. So, why would you give a stranger the power to make far more important decisions in your life?”

As you get started, the immediate questions you might have are: Why are midterms important? What are we actually voting on? How do I even begin? 

Politics are always a lot to process. The confusion and information overload it brings is overwhelming to go through let alone comprehend. We get it. So let’s break it down so that we are all on the same page:

What The midterms are elections held in the middle of a President’s term that determine who takes a seat at the House, Senate, and as state governors. This midterm election all 435 seats in House of Representatives will be voted on, 35 seats in the Senate, along with governorships in 36 states. The biggest issues brought to the table by candidates this year are health care, women’s rights, inclusivity in civil rights, the economy and immigration.

Why The candidates who win a seat will represent your state and communities, and create the laws for them. They will decide how our nation takes action on political issues. The party with a higher number of seats in each respective chamber (House or Senate) will control that chamber. If they control both chambers, they control all of Congress. They will then be able to influence which laws pass and can make or break the President's agenda.

How Since the beginning, we have been looking towards amazing women thought leaders like Yara Shahidi, Tracee Ellis Ross, America Ferrera, and MILCK for information on the election. We know these women support empowering women, and we’re here for it. We have also been doing our own research using this wonderful online tool to dive deep into who the candidates are and what voting “yes” or “no” on measures actually means. All the information on that platform is unbiased and straight from the source, so that YOU have the power to create your own informed decision. It’s easy to read and super simple to use on your phone so that you can take it with you to the polls!

And that’s the gist of it! We encourage all our Dazey ladies to take advantage of your resources and get educated on how the midterms can affect your local government, because it will! Voting with knowledge is voting with power.

#DazeyDemocracy! Vote and Win!

Dazey ladies this challenge is for you! Take a photo with your “I Voted” sticker and post with the hashtag  #dazeydemocracy on your story or feed to be entered to win some Dazey prizes! We're awarding three prizes: 1st place $100 Dazey credit, 2nd place $50 Dazey credit, 3rd place $25 Dazey credit. Also EVERYONE who shares a photo will get a 20% off code! This is your time to participate in democracy, support slow fashion, a female owned business, and SAVE while doing it. So why the hell not?!

Women on the Rise

It’s the Year of the Woman and the midterm elections are showing it. This year we have a record number of women running for office and we could not be more proud. Amongst these women, there is amazing diversity represented which could help make some headway toward achieving equality for women, minorities, and LGBTQ communities. Talk about strength in sisterhood, right?! Here are a few women on the rise who could make history during these elections:

Stacey Abrams (Governor)-  If elected, she’ll be the first female African-American governor in the United States. In this race she also has the opportunity to flip a seat at Senate from red to blue, which would be a big victory for her party. “We need a variety of perspectives at the decision-making table to ensure that no one is left out and left behind in our political system.”

Deb Haaland (House) - Running for Congress in New Mexico, Deb could be the nation’s first Native American congresswoman. “We need to have a government that reflects its country,” says Haaland. “We’ve never had a voice like mine in Congress—I think it’s time we change that. I’m not the only candidate whose set to be a ‘first’—there are so many across the country. This election year will be historic. We will hopefully have fierce voices on issues that matter to our communities, from climate change to a strong public education system. I know what it’s like to search for accessible and affordable health care, to live on food stamps, [to] need to put back food at the checkout counter, and to be drowning in student loans. We need people who’ve had these experiences represent us.”

Christine Hallquist (Senate) - Running as the Democratic nominee in Vermont, Christine is battling to become the nation’s first transgender governor.  She states, “This wasn’t exactly my career path, [but I] have an obligation to people of color to make our state a more diverse state and a welcoming state.”

Ilhan Omar (House) - Omar is 36-year-old Somali refugee who immigrated to the United States when she was 12. She is running on a deeply progressive platform, supporting medicare for all, tuition-free college, and criminal justice reform. There is a very great chance of her winning and becoming one of the first Muslim woman elected to Congress.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (House) -This millennial Bronx native and democratic socialist has been dreaming big with Senator Bernie Sanders as her political mentor. If she wins in November, she will become the youngest woman to ever be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Striving to push progressive policies, Alexandria reminds us that, “Change takes courage” and this in this midterm “we are fighting for an unapologetic movement for economic, social, and racial justice in the United States.”

So ladies, if you want to help create history with these amazing women, get out there and VOTE for a better future for us ALL.