● Voting in Swing States: New Hampshire, Virginia, and North Carolina
● The Youth Vote: Crash Course
Celebrating Activism Under the August Sun
Wonderful weather, wonderful people, and wonderful energy marked the third annual Swing Blue Alliance picnic. Nearly 90 grassroots activists heard about this season’s opportunities to protect democracy thanks to speakers from Swing Blue Alliance and co-sponsors Indivisible Acton Area, All in for NC, Indivisible LAB, MA Flip PA, Cambridge Letter Team, and the Mass Dems Organizing Hub. Trivia (won by Sonali Tambe’s team), great food, and cheerful connections among attendees were highlights of the afternoon.
We drove up the percent of Democratic voters in the Ohio special election. Let’s do the same for the Sept 19 election in New Hampshire.
You can help shift the NH House from Republican control to a Dem-GOP tie by supporting Democrat Hal Rafter in his run for state representative. A victory will prevent the Republicans from passing laws that would restrict abortions, weaken voting andLGBTQ + rights, jeopardize the environment, and cancel Medicaid expansion ... all while protecting funds for public education.
Here are two great ways to defeat MAGA Republicans in New Hampshire.
Jessica Craven Makes Calls With Swing Blue Alliance Jessica Craven – actress, activist, elected delegate to the California Democratic party, and author of Chop Wood, Carry Water – is joining SBA’s NH phone banks. In her newsletter she wrote, "I’ve committed to a weekly phonebank on Tuesdays. Can you join me?” Just say YES!
Ours is the only phone bank going for this special election, so here's your chance to have a big impact!
Stop the Radical Right in NH Take advantage of New England fall views and canvass for Hal Rafter. Going door to door is the most effective way to get out the vote. You’ll be encouraging potential Dems to go to the polls for the special election on September 19.
Northwood and Nottingham, NH, are only 1.5 hours away from Boston, so it’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon. Enjoy local eateries or take a picnic lunch!
Join Congressman Chris Pappas and canvass tomorrow, Sunday 8/27. Can’t make it? SBA is also canvassing on Saturday 9/9 and Sunday 9/10.
Can't make those? Other organizations' canvasses are also listed in the link.
Let’s Save Democracy in Virginia
The 2023 Virginia elections aren’t about just state leadership. The outcome in this battleground state will shape the trajectory of the 2024 election.
What’s at stake? The Democrats' paper-thin majority in the VA State Senate is the last bulwark against right-wing madness in the South. Virginia is the only Southern state where the GOP has not imposed a post-Roe ban on abortion. If Republicans gain control of all three branches of government, the legislature will pass a statewide abortion ban, support book bans, increase barriers to voting, and weaken pollution controls.
We can make a difference by supporting current State Delegate Clint Jenkins in his run for state senator Swing Blue is helping Democratic Clint Jenkins get elected to the State Senate for District 17. This swing district is one of the most competitive in the state and could be the tipping point district in the battle for control of the senate as a whole.
Because this district is somewhat off the beaten path and Clint lacks the resources of other swing districts, our phone banks and other assistance are critical to his campaign.
SBA is focusing on Mecklenburg County, which has more registered Democrats than the fifty least populous NC counties combined. Regrettably, recent turnout in the county was 6% less than the state as a whole.
A great way to get these voters to the polls is to get other North Carolinians to volunteer. These are some of the most fun calls you'll ever make as a volunteer. You're calling self-identified possible activists and you're asking them to become part of a new, effective, fun group of their neighbors.
You or your close friends have children and grandchildren on the cusp of becoming our country’s biggest cohort of voters. Without your encouragement, this huge voting block is the least likely to volunteer or go to the polls.
According to Simon Rosenberg of Hopium, if we get youth to the polls in 2024, Dems end up with a 6-point national gain. Moreover, according to the Brookings Institute, getting these voters involved now means they will remain active Democrats for the rest of their lives.
It's up to us to show the way You can double your impact by encouraging your young relatives and friends to take part in Crash Course: Organizing Your Campus with Swing Left!
Over the course of nine online sessions, students will learn how to recruit and retain volunteers, build and grow teams, organize events, and increase digital impact. All these skills are applicable to politics and leadership positions that students are likely to have in their futures.
Swing Blue Alliance (formerly Swing Left Greater Boston) is the largest all-volunteer Democratic grassroots organization headquartered in Massachusetts. We use proven methods to protect our Democracy, work on competitive local and national elections, and strengthen the Democratic party at the grassroots level.
