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July 9, 2022 Newsletter

Posted on July 10, 2022
Massachusetts' best resource for keeping the House and the Senate and turning purple states Blue.
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Volunteers Taking Back Democracy

July 9, 2022

Issue #203

In This Issue

●  New Hampshire  ●  Contribute to postcard research  ● Clarification  Volunteers T*B*D
●  Strategic giving ●  Slack and volunteer recruitment training

New Hampshire is the only swing state where you can go door to door, talk with voters, and be home for supper! It is also a perfect place to help protect the tenuous Democratic hold in DC. Here are several super opportunities to get involved in this bellwether state.

Yes, NH Senator Maggie Hassan, US Rep Chris Pappas, and Annie Kuster are Democrats. However, the Granite State itself is controlled by Republicans. 

How Republican? Find out at the Win Blue NH Monthly Meeting. Hear from Katherine Harake, who is vying to flip one of five seats on the NH Executive Council. The Council is currently so conservative that it has turned down $27M in federal COVID relief funding, refused to fund NH family planning and healthcare centers, and approved an education commissioner who belittles public schools. Katherine will explain how we can help NH residents shift this elected body. 

Do New Hampshire voters support this kind of government? Recent surveys researched the attitudes that motivate New Hampshire voters, and Craig Brown, Executive Director of AmplifyNH, will go over the findings.

Mon, Jul 11 @ 7 pm ET

Do you want to be the most effective activist you can be? Using the most effective techniques to reach voters? 

In this short (ninety minute) class on Deep Canvassing, you'll learn – and get time to practice – the power of deep canvassing. This art of engaging voters in more meaningful conversations is a proven way to connect with people.

With your honed skills and extra confidence, you can develop relationships with voters and elicit their concerns. The info you collect will strengthen the campaigns of Dem candidates.

Wed, Jul 13 @ 5 - 6:30 pm ET

 

BTW: These techniques work at the door, on the phone, in NH, and in other states. It’s a potent investment in the 2022 elections.

Put all you’ve learned to good use. Mark these dates in your calendar today.

Thu, Jul 14 @ 3:30 - 5 pm ET 

Sat & Sun, Jul 30 & 31, 10 am - 1 pm ET

Swing Blue Alliance is researching the effectiveness of QR codes in helping voters sign up to vote by mail. The postcards we send include a QR code. Postcard recipients can simply scan the code to go directly to the Board of Election's vote-by-mail registration page.

The study will analyze the impact of the QR code by population segment. The results will have important implications for the use of QR codes in future mail campaigns.

The vote-by-mail postcards are part of a fight to keep a Steve Bannon-endorsed candidate from halting the Duval County School Board's current support for minorities and LGBTQ families. While this race is highly local, it’s a vital race that sends a huge message.

Contribute to this research and support quality education in Florida. Organize a group of a few postcard writers. 

Other SBA postcard campaigns are already in the works, all precision targeted and highly effective. Look for upcoming projects across Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina. 

Sign up for a chance to talk to an organizer about organizing!

It’s easier than you think.

Clarification

A careful reader brought to our attention that last week's issue incorrectly stated that Pennsylvania has no laws regarding abortion. The article should have stated that PA has no “trigger” laws that would have gone into effect on the overturn of Roe. 

In Pennsylvania, abortion is still legal through the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. However, the PA State Senate yesterday advanced a package of significant proposals to amend the state constitution, including one declaring that the constitution provides no right to an abortion. Meanwhile, the Republican candidate for Governor, Doug Mastriano, advocates draconian restrictions on women's choice. In contrast, his Democrat opponent Josh Shapiro has vowed to maintain current abortion protections. 

You’re Only One Person …

You’re only one person, but you can increase your impact with every volunteer you recruit.

Become a member of the Volunteers T*B*D Calling Corps and reach out to Dem activists in swing states. You’ll be reminding them of how much they matter and how much they can accomplish by rejoining the fight.

Re-engage Volunteers ...

Mon, Jul 11 @ 4 - 6 pm ET

Thu, Jul 14 @ 3:30 - 5 pm ET

Fri, Jul 15 @ 2 - 4 pm ET

Relax, knowing that you’re totally prepared for these calls. This one-hour class includes one-on-one-practice and handouts!

Mon, Jul 11 @ 7 pm ET

Our Partners' Events
  • Did you know that half of Democratic campaign contributions are wasted on races that are unwinnable or already flush with cash?
  • Are you overwhelmed by all the candidate solicitations promising that your $10 will be the difference between winning and losing?
  • Do you want your dollar to affect races up and down the ballot, to support grassroots groups registering and mobilizing voters? 

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, check out the Crimson Goes Blueprint Portfolio created by a Harvard alumni group in partnership with Swing Left.

Learning Corner

This class, taught by Sonali Tambe, presents Slack basics and gives everyone a chance to practice using Slack. In this class you will learn:

  • Why use Slack
  • Basic features of Slack
  • How to find and connect with your team on Slack

Tues, July 12 @ 1 pm EDT

Learning Corner sessions are co-hosted by Indivisible Acton Area, Swing Blue Alliance, and Indivisible Mass Coalition in collaboration with volunteers at the MAssachusetts Grassroots Information Collaborative, a Slack workspace for exchanging information, encouraging connections among groups, and building activist momentum across the state. Join the News-MAGIC Slack space today.

Learn about volunteer recruiting strategies from SBA's Susan Labandibar at the Zoom-based Indivisible Grassroots Leaders Convention. Susan is participating in one of the “Stories of Success” panels, which are focusing on how to harness and build the current collective power of Indivisible groups. Learn more and register.

Thu, July 14 @ 8:05 pm EDT

 

Swing Blue Alliance is an Indivisible affiliate.

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.

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