July 6, 2024 Newsletter

In This Issue
● Meet In person at the SBA Picnic and Activist Afternoons 

● Engage with voters in PA  ● Register young people to vote 

● Help Pat Ryan and Josh Riley in NY  ● Meet the dynamic NC Dem team

● Send letters that cut through the noise

● The Field Leaders Research Network at the Women's Summit

● Orientation for new volunteers

● Donate to make a difference

The news cycle over the past two weeks has been challenging. With the stakes so high, it's natural to feel disappointed and/or angry about Biden's debate performance, frustrated at the media response, worried about the future and conflicted about the path forward.  

Trump and the Republican party want us to think their rise to power is inevitable. It is not inevitable. Here at Swing Blue, we focus on what has always worked - our amazing volunteers and our commitment to preserving and protecting our democracy.

Let's not forget: The Biden/Harris record is strong. We are proud to advocate for the accomplishments of this administration and to tell voters why we want to further what Biden/Harris has begun. No matter how the next few weeks play out, we will offer 100% support to the Democratic nominee.

So let's go to swing states and talk to voters. Let's register young people to vote. Let's amplify our support for the accomplishments of the Biden/Harris administration. Let's make phone calls for House, Senate and State Legislature candidates. Let's spread the word that now is not the time to give up on our  democracy. Not on our watch!

Meet Up in Person

at the Swing Blue Alliance Picnic

We need each other, and we need to connect in person. Join us at our annual Swing Blue Alliance in-person get-together. There’ll be live folk music, family-friendly activities, great food, and fabulous people (like you!). Let's inspire each other, and have some fun!

Sun, Jul 14 @ 4 - 6 pm EDT
1991 Mass Ave, Cambridge

Bring your pens, phones or laptops, ideas, and good spirits to the next Activist Afternoons!

Sun, Jul 7 @ 4 - 6 pm EDT
1991 Mass Ave, Cambridge

Cut Through the Noise:  Engage with Voters

We can change the future by meeting voters where they are. That's why Swing Blue Alliance is going to Philadelphia this summer, talking with voters in low-turnout neighborhoods and registering voters in Dem-leaning counties and on college campuses. 

In Philadelphia and nearby Montgomery County, there are thousands of unregistered voters, lots of Democrats who don’t vote, and many Independents who can be persuaded. 

So we've rented an AirbnB, engaged with local partners who can train you to talk with voters, and identified Dem-leaning "hot spots" for voter registration. Come to the City of Brotherly Love and win the future for democracy.

Meet Young Voters Where They Are:

Voter Registration on Campus

When students return to campus for "Welcome Week" at Eastern PA colleges, we'll be there, ready to engage the students on the issues they care about and help them register to vote. Take a road trip and join us, for a week or just a few days. Housing is available.

An online 90-minute training session is provided. The link will be sent to you after you register.

Thu, July 25,  Fri, July 26 @10am - 4pm EDT

Wed, Aug 21,  Thu, Aug 22,  Fri, Aug 23 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

Tue, Aug 27 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

Mon, Sept 16,  Tues, Sept 17,  Wed, Sept. 18 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

Help Young Dem Candidates in NY

Help Pat Ryan in NY 18

42 -year-old Congressman Pat Ryan is a fifth generation Hudson Valley native who champions affordable health care, gun violence prevention, and a woman's right to choose. He's being challenged by Republican Alison Esposito, who's trying to soft-pedal her support for anti-abortion efforts. Republicans want to flip this seat. Help Rep. Ryan recruit volunteers to knock on doors in his district.

Tuesdays, 5pm - 7pm EDT

Help Josh Riley flip NY 19

Josh Riley is a native of working class Endicott NY who has served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, crafting proposed legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act and a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. A Republican won this seat in 2022 by exploiting redistricting. Riley is in a good position to win it back for Democrats. 

Riley's district is just over the MA/NY border, near Albany. Join our team of canvassers for a summer day of talking with voters!

Sat, July 20 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

Fri, Aug 9 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

Sat, Aug 17 @ 10am - 4pm EDT

New to canvassing? Canvassing 101 will give you a good sense of the process and technology, as well as tips from supportive and encouraging leaders. 

Join the Young NC Dem Team

Are you worried about "gerontocracy"? Here's the antidote: The head of the North Carolina Democrats is 26 years old, and the county Dem parties are brimming with youthful energy. Help them get the volunteers and resources they need to win. 

Have an exponential impact by calling ardent NC Dems and letting them know how important it is for them to vote and volunteer. Sunday phone banks recruit volunteers and Wednesday phone banks also inform voters about Democrat Safiyah Jackson, who's running to flip a NC legislative seat.

Check out the All in for NC monthly meeting and find out what you can do to help the dynamic young NC team.

Mon, July 22 @ 4pm EDT

Letters That Cut Through the Noise

Help us send 700,000 letters to persuadable voters in Pennsylvania. These letters  to Working America members focus on issues, not candidates. By asking voters to make healthcare access their top voting issue, we can have a measurable impact on voter choice. One successful persuasion letter can have a greater impact than two successful turnout letters. It’s like sending two letters for the price of one!

There are letter distribution events this weekend and next weekend in Arlington, Bedford, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Hingham, Lexington, Mattapan, Newton/Auburndale, Newton Corner, South Newton, Somerville, Waltham,  Watertown, Winchester, and Providence RI.

Have you thought about distributing postcards or letters to volunteers? As a mailing host, you'd be expediting hundreds rather than twenty-five missives at a time -- from anywhere in the country -- maximizing your impact.
Learn more here. 

Grassroots Research for Maximum Impact

"My resounding impression is that I wish I had known about FLRN when I was organizing with Swing Blue last election season." - Francesca Guthrie

The Field Leaders' Research Network (FLRN) is a diverse grassroots group working to use data from controlled studies to discover which activist approaches are most effective. The FLRN hosts a research repository that anyone can use, and meets once a month to learn from inspiring speakers and discuss how to boost the impact of our activism. 

Swing Blue Alliance and the FLRN were at the Network NOVA Women's Summit in Virginia last month. Enthusiasm was high, the speakers were inspiring, and Swing Blue got out the word about our team of research activists.

As former Swing Blue/FLRN intern Francesca Guthrie, who was there in Virginia, explains, "Organizations like FLRN are critical to ensuring that the thankless hours put in by phone bankers, texters, and canvassers are truly going somewhere."

New Volunteer?

Learn what a difference you can make in the 2024 election with Swing Blue Alliance, the largest all-volunteer, Democratic grassroots organization based in Massachusetts. Join our online orientation and hear about our goals and the many ways you can help protect our democracy.

Tue, Jul 9, 12 - 12:30 pm EDT

Sun, July 21 @ 10 - 10:30 EDT

Donate Where It Makes a Difference

Big news — The States Project’s Giving Circles Team has organized a $500,000 matching gift opportunity. This is a huge opportunity for our Giving Circle! Donate now to build tactics that can be game-changing in November.

Our Mission

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.

Your contribution will help fund the operations of this volunteer-produced newsletter, which goes out to over 15K subscribers.

Support this newsletter with a monthly donation.

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