CA-25’s Special Election is Tomorrow! We need callers and texters. Please jump on a phone to urge Democratic voters to support Christy Smith and return their ballots. Republicans anticipate a win in CA-25 and we’re out to snatch it away. Make calls tomorrow from 10:30am – 12:30pm. It’s important.
Mid-pandemic, we understand the urgent need to redirect our country. We’ve also learned that self-motivating can be hard, for the camaraderie of working side-by-side energizes us. We’re now finding that energy in virtual letter parties. Recently, Swing Left Peninsula leaders joined together online and wrote letters in our homes while chatting. That process works! We can write letters, catch up with friends, meet new people, and address the fierce urgency of now. Jump straight to our “letter parties from home” section and register for an online party; action is the perfect antidote for isolation.
This newsletter is packed with plenty of opportunities to engage. Read on for details…
- The Big Send
- Letters Three Ways: Print, Pick Up, or Delivery
- Letter Parties from Home
- Phone (and Text) from Home: Priority = Christy Smith Calls and Texts
- Listen from Home
- Donate from Home (Triple Flip AZ)
- Partner Organization Activities
CA-25’s Special Election is Tomorrow! We need callers and texters. Please jump on a phone to urge Democratic voters to support Christy Smith and return their ballots. Republicans anticipate a win in CA-25 and we’re out to snatch it away. Make calls tomorrow from 10:30am – 12:30pm. It’s important.
Mid-pandemic, we understand the urgent need to redirect our country. We’ve also learned that self-motivating can be hard, for the camaraderie of working side-by-side energizes us. We’re now finding that energy in virtual letter parties. Recently, Swing Left Peninsula leaders joined together online and wrote letters in our homes while chatting. That process works! We can write letters, catch up with friends, meet new people, and address the fierce urgency of now. Jump straight to our “letter parties from home” section and register for an online party; action is the perfect antidote for isolation.
This newsletter is packed with plenty of opportunities to engage. Read on for details…
- The Big Send
- Letters Three Ways: Print, Pick Up, or Delivery
- Letter Parties from Home
- Phone (and Text) from Home: Priority = Christy Smith Calls and Texts
- Listen from Home
- Donate from Home (Triple Flip AZ)
- Partner Organization Activities
CA-25’s Special Election is Tomorrow! We need callers and texters. Please jump on a phone to urge Democratic voters to support Christy Smith and return their ballots. Republicans anticipate a win in CA-25 and we’re out to snatch it away. Make calls tomorrow from 10:30am – 12:30pm. It’s important.
Mid-pandemic, we understand the urgent need to redirect our country. We’ve also learned that self-motivating can be hard, for the camaraderie of working side-by-side energizes us. We’re now finding that energy in virtual letter parties. Recently, Swing Left Peninsula leaders joined together online and wrote letters in our homes while chatting. That process works! We can write letters, catch up with friends, meet new people, and address the fierce urgency of now. Jump straight to our “letter parties from home” section and register for an online party; action is the perfect antidote for isolation.
This newsletter is packed with plenty of opportunities to engage. Read on for details…
- The Big Send
- Letters Three Ways: Print, Pick Up, or Delivery
- Letter Parties from Home
- Phone (and Text) from Home: Priority = Christy Smith Calls and Texts
- Listen from Home
- Donate from Home (Triple Flip AZ)
- Partner Organization Activities
JOIN THE BIG SEND: TEN MILLION LETTERS!
We volunteers across the country were planning to send TWO million GOTV letters next October. Now Vote Forward, through its BIG SEND initiative, plans to mail 10 MILLION letters to get infrequent Democratic voters in the 12 Super States to the polls in November.
We’re part of a massive effort with many progressive organizations. Swing Left, Indivisible, Daily KOS and more have joined The Big Send! Our country needs you to help meet this BIG goal!
First, watch this catchy, one-minute Big Send video narrated by Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.
Now, choose one or more of our many letter-writing options below.
Print Them, Pick Them Up, Or Get Them Delivered!
We encourage you to print at home using these instructions (spoiler: you’ll simply download a pdf file and print it). If that doesn’t work for you, pick letters up or get them delivered. However you obtain them, why not aim for 20 letters a week to help us reach the TEN MILLION letter goal? You can hold off on stamps because we’re not the mailing GOTV letters until October. We’re now prioritizing Texas and Florida letters.
Letter packet pickups:
Click on the person’s name to make contact for picking up on a porch in a city near you:
- Mountain View: Contact Mariya
- San Carlos: Contact Laura
- Hillsborough: Contact Cheryl and Michelle
- San Mateo Highlands: Contact Elaine
- Woodside (just off Skyline): Contact Betsy
Letter delivery:
- Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Stanford: Contact Kirstin (for 100 letters or more)
- Los Altos: Contact Barbara
- Redwood City, San Carlos: Contact Laura
- Pacifica: Contact Lorrie
Please see our website for an up-to-date list of all pick up and delivery options.
Chat with other volunteers as you write together during an upcoming Zoom letter party! Try your best to have some letters on hand before the party starts.
Swing Left Peninsula Zoom letter parties:
- Fri, May 29th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm with Elaine (she’s in San Mateo, but join from anywhere!)
Swing Left National Zoom letter parties:
Swing Left’s national staffers are holding parties several afternoons a week.
- Tue, May 12th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm: Special focus on OHIO letters and strategy
- Thu, May 14th, 3:00pm – 5:00pm
- Sat, May 16th, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
- Tue, May 19th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm
- Thu, May 21st, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Special focus on GEORGIA letters and strategy
- Sat, May 23rd, 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Special focus on TEXAS letters and strategy
- Sun, May 24th, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
- Tue, May 26th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm: Special focus on FLORIDA letters and strategy
- Thu, May 28th, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Special focus on MICHIGAN letters and strategy
- Sat, May 30th, 2:00pm – 4:00pm: Special focus on IOWA letters and strategy
Please see our website for an up-to-date list of virtual letter parties.
Host a virtual letter party!
Join one of the parties above to see how it works, then perhaps host your own!
- Use Swing Left’s Virtual Letter Party Host Kit
- If you are new to hosting on Zoom, you may also appreciate one of the weekly trainings on Zoom hosting
- Let us know if you’re planning to host a virtual letter party, and we’ll put it in our next newsletter.
CHRISTY SMITH CA-25: Special Election TOMORROW!
Phone bank: This Tuesday, May 12th 10:30am – 12:30pm
Democracy Action is calling voters to remind them to put ballots in the mail (and to sign the envelope)! This U.S. House race was recently classified as a toss-up, and every call we make could be the difference in keeping this seat BLUE.
Texting for Christy:
- SPANISH texting this afternoon here (through her campaign)
- Indivisible Texters: Sign in to grab a batch on their Slack page #texting-channel, here.
- Resistance Labs: Instructions for joining the texting campaign can be found here.
ARIZONA: Promote Democrats up and down the ballot
Swing Left is partnering with Mission for Arizona, the Arizona Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign to elect Mark Kelly and Democrats up and down the ballot. “Coordinated” means the campaigns for the likely-to-flip Senate seat and the likely-to-flip state legislature are working together to maximize efficacy and efficiency.
Arizona training and shifts for out-of-state phone bankers Every Wednesday, 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Arizona Spanish language phone banks: Thurs, May 14 and May 21 (four times slots each day)
For a full list of Mission for Arizona phone banks and even some TEXT banks see this link.
GEORGIA: Encourage Vote By Mail!
Every day through May 20th (several afternoon time slots each day)
For the first time ever, all 6.9 million active Georgia voters will receive ballot request forms for the June 9th primary. Most won’t know they can vote by mail (VBM).
We’re calling Democrats in some of Georgia’s most competitive districts to keep the election free, fair, and accessible during the COVID outbreak. It’s critical that voters in these districts cast their ballots – a strong primary showing helps Democratic candidates gain endorsements, visibility, and volunteers in the general election. Flipping the Georgia state legislature hinges on the work we do now! We’ll provide a script about VBM, training, a simple guide for beginners, and tips for success. Check out www.swingleft.org/p/georgia to see why flipping the state legislature is so important.
CA-10: Call for Josh
The DCCC is hosting Josh Harder virtual phone banks (with training)Â Mondays to Thursdays at 6:00 pm. Â
CA-21: Call for TJ
TJ Cox’s race is too close for comfort. Call on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 5:00 – 8:00pm.
Remote Phone Bank Host Kit
Swing Left has tools to help you lead remote phone banks. Click to see: Remote Phone Bank Host Kit and Guide.
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!
The California Fever-Dreamin’ episode of How We Win features Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party, talking about the lessons learned from the labor movement, how to build coalitions between the party and grassroots groups, and how we are leveraging digital tools to win in November.
Donate from Home to TRIPLE FLIP Arizona
Help Swing Left Peninsula “triple flip” Arizona through our online fundraiser. Donations will be split among U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kelly and strategic state legislature races (the ones that will ensure that the state legislature flips).
Partner Organization Events
Local Event Calendar and Texting Help!
Our local DVC (Democratic Volunteer Center) maintains a fantastic calendar of events with phone banks, trainings, town halls, and more. Also, learn how to start TEXTING with the DVC’s Getting Started Guide, or get texting help at texting@demvolctr.org.
Arizona Postcards
Write postcards in English and Spanish to disenfranchised voters (for Reclaim Our Vote) and on behalf of Mark Kelly (for Flip the West). Contact jbolker2@gmail.com for addresses and script.
@Home Political Salon Series
Wed, 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. Minimum donation of $250. Click the date to donate and rsvp.
DVC and Biden Campaign Virtual Conversation
This Saturday, May 16th, 11:00am
Join the DVC webinar on Saturday May 16th at 11am to hear from the Joe Biden Presidential Campaign on how we will all win together in 2020! You will hear:
- How YOU can help ensure Democratic victories up and down the ballot in November
- Information and perspectives directly from speakers for the Joe Biden campaign
- Why it’s so critical that we get started RIGHT NOW
- How the DVC and Bay Area Democratic groups will work with the Joe Biden campaign
The Democratic Volunteer Center has been supporting local Silicon Valley volunteers since 2010 – Swing Left Peninsula is proud to work with the DVC to save Democracy in 2020.
Swing Left San Francisco Virtual Meeting with Dan Pfeiffer and Cecilia Munoz
Tuesday, May 19th, 6:00pm
Join a conversation with Obama Alums Cecilia Munoz and Dan Pfeiffer about diversity in the Obama Administration and its impact on policy and engagement, lessons learned, and how to apply these to communication around the 2020 election and a future (hopefully!) Biden Administration. Sign Up Here
