Big Dog Thanks for Bark the Vote!
photos courtesy of Jukie Sunshine, Phoenix, Alyssa, SFDOG, Family Dog Rescue - Karen Kennedy and Giselle Perez, and BASA.
Did you get some pics of the day? Send them in and we’ll add them here.
Dogs and voter registration were both well celebrated at the Bark the Vote event on October 22. Many thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers, to everyone who stopped by, and to the costume contest participants, who raised over $200 for the neighborhood fire victims fund. It was a wonderful, windy day at Alamo Square Park, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
Here’s a little background about how the event got started and why we do it (aside from wanting to enjoy some good ol’ dog fun).
Back in 2018, closing in on the previous administration’s midterm elections, we, like many people, felt compelled to do something - anything - to work toward change. We knew we could bring dog folks together, but how could we make a real difference? The obvious answer was voting, specifically helping people get registered to vote. And so, together with some good folks in the neighborhood, we created Bark the Vote, a dog-themed voter registration rally bringing dog lovers together to make a difference in our community and beyond.
Just as dogs are a pathway to the heart, Bark the Vote is intended as a day of community engagement and joy. It’s a time to detach from the petty egos and fears that block our progress and to encourage participation in our own communities (and because dogs make all things good, they just naturally have to be involved).
In a democracy, voting is how we take care of ourselves and each other. Civic engagement, rather than disconnection, can lead towards greater understanding of people who may seem different than ourselves. Dogs are all about love and connection so combining the two seemed obvious.
While we couldn’t hold Bark the Vote during the height of the pandemic in 2020, we were thrilled to be back for the midterms in October. It was a day of celebration, merriment, and gusty winds, which we hope were enough to blow some common sense and unity our way.
BIG DOG THANKS to the following folks without whom the event couldn't have happened:
Sister Anya Streets and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their fabulous emceeing;
The sound guys Max and Everett for being more than capable, kind, and patient;
Jukie Sunshine for wrangling the costume contest;
SF Department of Elections for being dedicated to our democracy;
San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks for caring for our beautiful parks;
The wonderful performers: Aprylle, Audrey and Tina Sing the Divas, and Banda Sin Nombre;
Dear friends Ann Belden and Derek Remski, without whom we couldn’t have managed a bake sale, much less a voter registration drive;
Race Bannon who came through like a champ to rally the vote;
Beth M., who volunteered out of nowhere and stayed from set up to near the end, helping it all run smoothly;
The BACON BACON food truck for the deliciousness it brought to the day;
Our wonderful sponsors and participants: BASA Dispensary, District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, Democratic Socialists of SF, United Democratic Club, SFDOG, Go Dog Pro, Wiggling Tails Rescue, Hella Damn Bitches & Queens Rescue, and Family Dog Rescue;
The outstanding businesses and organizations that stepped up to donate prizes: Rare Device, Animal House Pet Mercantile, BiRite Grocery, SF Animal Care and Control, and Squishy Face Home Baked Treats;
The very good folks at NOPNA who know what creating real community is all about;
The SF Board of Supervisors who recognized Bay Woof and Bark the Vote! with a special Certificate of Honor;
KPIX politics reporter Lauren Toms for her great coverage of the event;
The readers, writers, and supporters of Bay Woof.
Last but never least, we’d like to thank the city of San Francisco for this beautiful place we call home. As someone once observed, to change the world one lives in, one must change it where one lives. We hope Bay Woof will always be part of that positive change in our community.
See you at the next Bark the Vote!