After a few weeks of sheltering in place, people answer their phones! We know that many people (including me, the writer) tired of listening to the Hub Dialer’s hold music and gave up on phone banking in 2016 and 2018. Well, now’s the time to dial back in. People are home and answering!
We need callers for Christy Smith, the Democratic candidate in the southern California special U.S. House election, which is just two weeks away! That’s a good (re)entry point for phone banking. You’ll be calling friendly Democrats to explain the new all-votes-by-mail process and encouraging them to turn in their ballots.
This newsletter is packed with plenty of opportunities to engage. Read on for details…
- Defend from Home (CA-25 Special Election on May 12th)
- Party from Home
- Write from Home
- Win Arizona from Home
- Phone from Home
- Text from Home
- Listen from Home
- Donate from Home (Triple Flip AZ)
- Partner Organization Activities
Defend the House From Home
Important Special Election May 12th: Get Out the Vote for Christy Smith in CA25
Christy Smith isa member of the California State Assembly running to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Democrat Katie Hill. California Democrats worked hard in 2018 to flip this SoCal district and we need to keep it. Help us defend our majority in the House! We are calling and texting voters to remind them of this important special election and to let them know that the election will NOW be entirely by mail!
Highest priority! GOTV phoning for Christy:
This is low-stress phone banking! You will urge friendly Democrats to mail their ballots before May 12th. The campaign’s autodialer doesn’t connect you until there’s a pick up, so the process is efficient.
- You’ll receive a quick training via Zoom and be able to ask questions as you call.
- Click here to sign up for any day between now and May 12th or …
- Join Swing Left Peninsula Phone Banks! We’re hosting sessions on April 30th and May 7th (three times each day: 10am, 2pm or 5pm)
- Click here to sign up for one (or more) of a dozen sessions between now and May 12th. Each session begins with a virtual training.
Letter Party From Home
Chat with volunteers and write together during an upcoming Zoom letter party!
Swing Left Peninsula Zoom letter parties:
- Monday, May 4th, 6:30 – 8:30pm: Join powerhouse Hillsborough letter leaders Cheryl and Michelle! If you have trouble with downloading letters, they can email letters to you in a PDF file (you’ll just have to print them). Click on the date to rsvp.
Swing Left National Zoom letter parties:
Through May 31st, Swing Left’s national staffers are holding parties three to four afternoons a week. Several will focus on a Super State. Join this Tuesday to write to and chat about North Carolina and on May 7th for a Pennsylvania focus! Click the red button…
Host a virtual letter party!
Join one of the national parties to see how it works, then perhaps host your own!
- Use Swing Left’s Virtual Letter Party Host Kit
- Attend a virtual letter party host training
- If you are new to hosting on Zoom, you may also appreciate one of the daily Zoom trainings
Let us know if you’re planning to host a virtual letter party, and we’ll put it in our next newsletter. (Email us: letterwritingparties@swingleftpeninsula.org)
Write Letters From Home
Here’s how to get started with writing letters at home:
- First, try our online instructions
- If you’re having trouble getting started, sign up for one of Swing Left’s new virtual letter writing support workshops offered every Monday at 5pm. You’ll see a demo and have a chance to ask questions on a live Zoom call.
More ways to get or share letters:
- NEW!! Letter Deliveries: A Swing Left Peninsula volunteer is delivering sets of 100 letters to doorsteps in Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Los Altos. The packets include letters only – you will need to supply envelopes and stamps before mailing in October. To arrange a no-contact delivery, please email Kirstin .
- PDF Sharing: Do you know someone who is struggling with the Vote Forward website? Download a PDF file of letters and email it to them for printing (along with our writers’ instructions).
Remember: Write GOTV letters now and mail them in October. Right now we’re prioritizing Texas and Florida.
Triple Flip Arizona from Home
What’s at stake? Eleven Presidential electoral votes, one U.S. Senate seat, and the most flippable state legislature in the country!
Mark Kelly is now the official Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate race! Swing Left’s national political team engaged with his campaign this week.
Phonebanking (with Democracy Action SF)
Make calls for U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kelly and state legislature candidates Doug Ervin and Judy Schwiebert in the very flippable Legislative District 20 (LD20) in Phoenix. LD20 is one of four districts that Swing Left and the AZ Dems are targeting to flip the Arizona legislature. Training included!
- Wednesday, April 29, 10:30am – 12:30pm – RSVP
- Wednesday, May 6, 10:30am – 12:30pm – RSVP (Bonus: Hear from Candidates Doug and Judy of LD20 during the first half hour of the phone bank!)
Arizona Postcarding (with Reclaim Our Vote)
Write postcards to (likely) purged Arizona voters (in English or Spanish): Order with Judith.
Phone from Home
Georgia Phonebanking with Swing Left
Encourage voters to sign up for vote by mail (on Saturday afternoons).
CA-10 Phonebanking
Steve Zelezny, working with the DCCC in CA-10, is hosting Josh Harder virtual phone banks (with training) Mondays to Thursdays at 6:00 pm.
CA-21 Phonebanking
TJ Cox’s race is too close for comfort. Call on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 5:00 – 8:00pm.
New Remote Phone Bank Host Kit and Training
Swing Left just launched tools to help you lead remote phone banks. Click to see: Remote Phone Bank Host Kit and Guide. Click to sign up for a Remote Phone Bank Host Training every Wednesday at 5pm, starting April 22nd.
Text from Home: Getting Started
Our local Democratic Volunteer Center (DVC) is a great resource for getting started. Check out their helpful links:
- Getting Started Guide: Gives you an overview of how texting works and explains how to work with the six most popular texting providers (Indivisible, Open Progress, MoveOn, Resistance Labs, Red2Blue and DNC).
- Textbanking Best Practices
- Sign up for weekly DVC emails that list texting opportunities (click “textbanking” option)
- Need help? Email texting@demvolctr.org
Listen from Home
How We Win – Swing Left’s Podcast
While you are doing the work of Democracy from home, please listen to Swing Left’s Podcast – it will help you feel connected and motivated!
Episode 33 of How We Win focuses on how we protect our democracy. We’re preparing for the most important election of our lives during the most unprecedented time in our lives. Voting rights expert and journalist Ari Berman discusses the incredible victory in the Wisconsin election, voting during a pandemic, and what we’ve got to keep an eye out for in November.
Local Event Calendar!
Our local DVC (Democratic Volunteer Center) maintains a fantastic calendar of events with phone banks, trainings, town halls, and more.
Sister District South Bay Virtual Fundraiser for TX State House Candidate Ann Johnson
Friday, May 8th, 7:00 – 8:30pm (minimum donation $35)
Virtual cocktail party with comedian-songwriter Lauren Mayer. (Note: Swing Left’s national political team also considers Ann Johnson’s race in State House District 134 crucial to flipping the Texas state legislature!)
@Home Political Salon Series in April and May
A group of savvy Peninsula activists is working to flip the Senate. Minimum donation of $250 per event. Click the date to rsvp and donate. You will receive a Zoom link closer to the event date.
Calendar of Events
- April 29th, 5:30pm – 6:30pm Sara Gideon for Maine Senate – The Maine US Senate seat is a toss up! Susan Collins’ approval rating is very low. Sarah is currently Speaker of the Maine House.
- May 6th, 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Theresa Greenfield for Iowa Senate – Theresa’s worth fighting for – see why she’ll make Joni Ernst squeal. Iowa’s Senate seat is in play! Check out her video.
- May 13th, 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Steve Bullock for Montana Senate – Steve’s candidacy is a game changer for winning this seat. He’s the current Governor, ran for President, and has great name recognition.
