Posted May 22, 2020

What Will You Do This Week?

Get someone to vote by mail today … and tomorrow … and the day after ….

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is key to winning the country, and VBM is key to winning in PA

Winning in Pennsylvania
Depends on Vote by Mail

The upcoming primary on June 2 is the first opportunity for Pennsylvanians to vote by mail (VBM). They must request a VBM ballot by May 26 for the primary, and they must get their ballots in by election day on June 2.

The big payoff? Every VBM voter can automatically receive another ballot for November and for every year going forward. What does that mean for you? Every call you make that gets someone to VBM is an investment in Democratic wins for years to come.

Collaboration is key
Swing Left Greater Boston is partnering with Turn PA Blue and Red2Blue on the launch of a new wave of phone banking efforts in PA. The campaign has one aim: to increase VBM participation in PA, particularly among low-propensity voters — including low- income households and people of color — in the primary on June 2 and the general election on November 3.

Phone banks pave the way
To support this effort, Frances Brumley is building an integrated network of phone bank captains as Swing Left Greater Boston’s contribution to VBM in Pennsylvania. Frances has targets for quantity: number of calls, volunteers, captains, etc. At the same time, her focus is on quality: clear communication, easy-to-use tools, best practices, and a sense of community.

(Read more about Frances in the profile below and catch next week’s article for how she’ll be applying her philosophy of community building to the phone bank effort.)

Help launch the campaign
Get in on the ground floor at the Campaign Launch Event on Saturday, May 23 @ 12:00 pm. You’ll meet the key players, hear more about how to get involved, and get a sneak preview of the new PA Phone Bank Toolkit.

Ten days, 10,000 calls
Be part of the first drive
We’ll be encouraging and helping Pennsylvanians to request VBM ballots by May 26 and then return them by June 2.

Check out the new Pennsylvania phone bank action kit

It’s time to launch a new wave of phone banking for Pennsylvania!

Follow us @swingleftflipPA on Twitter or swingleftbostonflippa on Instagram. The number of followers we gather pushes our messaging to the top of news feeds. This is an easy way to support Swing Left’s main mission to flip the country Blue!

Maine

As COVID-19 unsettles our ability to run elections normally, the risks to safe and inclusive elections are greater than ever.

The Pine Tree State Needs Us

Any path to retaking the Senate runs through Maine. To win, we need to ensure that every eligible Mainer registers, votes, and has their vote counted.

Republicans are brazen about using any means necessary to suppress the vote. Look at Wisconsin, where conservatives in power forced voters to go to the polls at the height of coronavirus. Across the country, the GOP is doing everything possible to intimidate voters (especially minorities and students), challenge ballots, and make hard to register or get an absentee ballot.

Swing Left is partnering with the Maine Dems and Ryder Kessler, their Director of Voter Protection, to prevent voter suppression and intimidation in Maine.

Our strategy:

Advocate for less restrictive voting laws
Promote voting by mail
Recruit poll workers, poll watchers and vote counting monitors
Staff a voter hotline in advance of the July 14th primary and November general election

Join in to protect the right to vote in Maine:
Volunteer for the Voter Protection Team.

Michigan

So many chances to make a difference, so little time

How Can You Help Michigan?

Let us count the ways…

Michigan Madness Phone Bank Competition
First Prize:
your choice of a t-shirt from the
Michigan Dems or Swing Left
Second Prize:
Swing Left clipboard
Third Prize:
I Didn’t Vote for Trump stickers

Everyone gets a sheet of handsome thank you stickers!
Sign up here: Together for 2020 Michigan virtual phone bank action kit

Monthly MA for Michigan Call
with Michigan Regional Organizing Coordinator Adam Miller
(next one is June 1)

One summer = a step up for vote by mail participation

Boost VBM in this Summer Internship

As a Rescue Our Voters Summer Intern, you’ll be encouraging low-frequency voters to apply for vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots; then you’ll follow the voters to ensure their votes are counted.

Between June 1 and August 7, interns will collaborate on VBM projects in Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina. A stipend may be available.

Interns will:

Learn about ongoing efforts to boost VBM in battleground states
Interview local organizers and election officials
Analyze electoral data
Obtain current information on VBM registration
Conduct VBM analyses
Design programs for VBM registration
Work with grassroots volunteers and groups

Learn more and apply.

Frances Brumley, PA Phone Bank Coordinator

Frances Brumley phone banking in Louisiana

What would you do in the summer between graduating from Divinity School and beginning Law School? Frances Brumley is running SLGB’s vote-by-mail (VBM) phone bank campaign for the state of Pennsylvania.

“Last summer, I did faith-based outreach work in support of Louisiana Gov. Edwards’ re-election campaign; I focused on Religion, Ethics, and Politics for my masters. The transition to this year’s elections was inevitable,” says Frances.

Brumley chose to work in Pennsylvania because there’s a huge possibility of swinging the state legislature, and the fate of the presidential election largely rests on getting Biden elected there. She chose this particular campaign because of the chance to work with experienced organizers and dedicated volunteers.