● Rallies Today ● May Roundup ● Turn NH Blue ● Postcards to Change the Conversation ● Re-energize NC Activists ● Learning Corner
Join us at the Roundup to Be the Momentum
Kick off the next phase at the Outdoor Roundup, May 22 at Beaver Brook Reservation, in Waltham. With less than six months until the midterms, you can be the momentum that creates the next Blue wave.
At the roundup, we'll be writing postcards to voters, playing a very special trivia game, learning about canvassing opportunities and gearing up to "Campaign like it's 2024."
Beginning this week, we are scheduling this newsletter to reach you two hours earlier. Look for the SBA Newsletter at 7 am EDT on Saturdays from now on.
Abortion: Tipping Point Issue in New Hampshire Election?
Citizens of the “Live Free or Die” state are suffering massive attacks on their personal freedom and civic infrastructure at the hands of the Republican extremists who control the state legislature. The outrages include drastic cuts to public school funding, limits on the ability of teachers to speak freely, gerrymandered election districts, elimination of funding for Planned Parenthood and a looming voter suppression bill.
In addition, a 24-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest went into effect at the beginning of this year. The ban criminalizes health care providers as felons, which could mean up to seven years in prison and a fine up to $100,000.
The recent news that the Supreme Court is likely to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate the right of abortion may provide the tipping point to galvanize the 66% of New Hampshire citizens who believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases. We’ve seen these citizens beat back far right challenges to local school boards and voting supervisors.
NH has a strong field of Democratic candidates, but volunteers knocking on doors will be critical to their success at the polls. For inspiration, check out the words of poet Amanda Gorman.
Imagine talking to conservative women about progressive issues. Telling them that you have a better idea simply doesn't work. You have to start where they are, but you CAN change hearts and minds. And that is exactly what Swing Blue Alliance is about to do!
SBA is collaborating with the ideal partner, Galvanize Action. This organization identifies and reaches out to moderate women in battleground states, moving them to reliably vote for progress. Galvanize Action has proven its approach in a number of other grassroots campaigns.
Together, the two groups are targeting moderately conservative women in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. These voters value patriotism and personal relationships; they are nostalgic for tradition and how they remember the past.
The plan is to send postcards to 30,000 women in these three states. The images on the postcards are evocative of their values, and the messages tie these values to more progressive goals. The campaign will apply a proven randomized control test (RCT) approach to determine the impact of various messages.
Hear more about the research behind the project, the images we will use and what we hope to learn at our online kickoff event.
More info on how you can get involved coming next week!
Volunteers T*B*D: North Carolina
Volunteers Taking Back Democracy Calling Corps is a rewarding opportunity to re-energize volunteers in North Carolina at a critical moment for the state, and for the country.
Our partner, County to County (C2C) is a groundbreaking offshoot of the Orange County NC Democratic Party that backs electable candidates and assists other county parties. We are helping them call previous volunteers to ask about their experiences and offer them opportunities to renew their activism. Current TBD volunteers report that these calls are particularly rewarding, since we reach activists who are genuinely interested in being involved.
This effort already is yielding a real uptick in phone bankers and canvassers. C2C also follows up with people who need a bit more support to reengage – such as through training for people who are unfamiliar with activism in a virtual environment.
Please join us as we energize activists in this critical swing state. Our efforts can make the difference between a Republican super-majority that can over-ride the Democratic governor’s veto and enact draconian legislation on such issues as abortion and gender rights, and one with enough Democrats in state government to swing NC Blue.
Volunteers at MAssachusetts Grassroots Information Center (MAGIC) want to help you get in gear for 2022. Save time, minimize confusion and simplify your activist life! Whether you are planning to sign up for your own Mobilize organization or just want to learn how to create an event, this is the class for you.
In this class, you will learn:
how to create an event
how to send it to your volunteers and monitor sign-ups
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 Center, a Slack workspace for exchanging information, encouraging connections among groups, and building activist momentum across the state. Join the News-MAGIC Slack space today.
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.
