Voter challenge 2026

This is the fifth election in which I’ve hosted a Voter Challenge - a friendly contest among eight nearby cities to see which can achieve the highest voter turnout. The goal is simple: every registered voter votes.

I focus on these eight cities, but I really want every registered voter in the entire country to vote. I can only do so much, though. I’m just an ordinary person with limited resources, and I concentrate on the communities in my Nextdoor app because that’s easiest for me.

For the 2024 Voter Challenge, I spent 50 to 100 hours and donated $2,750 of my own money to charities chosen by the winning cities. Many other communities could benefit from a program like this, and I’m glad to help others set up their own, but I just don’t have the resources to run them all myself.

I encourage everyone to vote. It’s good for you personally: it builds self-confidence and helps you understand how things work. It’s also good for your community and your country. Who you vote for is entirely your choice. I have my own opinions, of course, but I keep them out of this program.

The idea of “compartmentalization” may be new to some people. We all have biases — the point is not to let them affect activities where they don’t belong. As a lawyer, I had clients I didn’t personally like, but I still represented them to the best of my ability. Members of your city council or commission have their own business interests and political views, yet they set those aside and try to act in the best interest of the city.

The main point is this: please VOTE. I plan to vote absentee on September 24, 2026, the very first day it’s possible. If necessary, I can go to the city hall, pick up my ballot and deposit it in the drop box. Voting is easy. Every community should be able to reach a 90% turnout.

As U.S. citizens, we have very few fixed responsibilities - voting is one of them.

Please vote!