Our GOTV efforts are record-breaking. Don’t let up!
Hundreds of you have been canvassing, making millions of calls, and sending countless texts and postcards. It’s working! We know that every reluctant or undecided voter you reach out to helps make the difference. Our victory lies in the margin of effort.
So far, the real-world numbers we have been seeing have been excellent. Just today, about 300,000 people voted on the first day of early voting in Georgia—more than doubling the previous record from 2020! Returns of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and other swing states are also looking good. We know that turnout favors our side and we’re thrilled to see this energy for our vice president and next president, Kamala Harris.
Here in San Francisco, the Department of Elections reports that 16,839 ballots have been returned at the time of writing. That’s a good start. When you fill out and drop off your ballot, you help drive that number higher and build the Blue Wave. So, if you still have a ballot, don’t wait to fill it out, sign it and return it.
In the meantime, we need to continue finding voters who haven’t yet cast their ballots and getting them to do so as early as possible, whether by mail or in-person. The Bay Area Coalition and other organizations have phone banks, text banks and more, both virtual and in-person, to fit any schedule, plus canvasses every weekend.
Check out our Vote page and join the ranks of volunteers making connections and getting out the vote.
And, now is the time to talk to your friends and family about voting. If you have loved ones still supporting Trump, we have a guide from 2018 on how to handle thorny political topics around the kitchen table. It’ll also be helpful for the holidays coming up. Read our newly-updated blog post on Talking To Friends And Family About Trump.
Thank you for joining the CA Grassroots Alliance Ballot Joy party… now finish your ballot!
From the CA Grassroots Alliance: Wednesday’s Ballot Joy early voting kickoff was a smash hit: The motivated crowd of Alliance participants logged on to BlueVoterGuide.org via their phones and grinned for a screenshot. Together, we learned that our earliest possible vote means one less Get Out the Vote outreach that our side needs to do—so funds and volunteers can concentrate on pouring efforts into the crucial Sweep Six!
Ready to share the joy with family and friends? The Alliance has assembled a “Ballot Joy Party in a Box” especially for Californians. Click to hear from all of our Sweep Six candidates, then view inspirational videos from key activists, plus a short tutorial on using Blue Voter Guide. Scroll down for the toolkit jump link, with all the resources you’ll need, including social media assets. And take your own Ballot Joy screenshot to share!
And during your Ballot Joy party, please view the 3-minute Alliance video Firebreak, which explains the critical role of California’s Sweep Six districts for taking back the House majority.
DID YOU KNOW? Blue Voter Guide now works in all 50 states and thousands of local jurisdictions, yet is still purely volunteer-run and operating on a shoestring budget! People love to share this new way of building a fast, smart, and blue sample ballot, but that means heavy demand on site infrastructure. Please show your appreciation by donating here, or via the BlueVoterGuide.org website. Thank you!
Once you drop off your fully-voted ballot ASAP, you can still help win this thing! Find the right volunteer opportunities for the district of your choice on the Alliance Volunteer page. Canvassing and phonebanking make all the difference as we head into the final days!
Thank you for spreading the Ballot Joy!
Vote NO on Prop 36 (and tell 10 friends)
Ten years ago, California passed Proposition 47, which made punishments fit their crimes. Two years before that, 2012’s Proposition 36 ended the failed policy of “three strikes and you’re out” and the violence it caused, making all Californians safer.
This year brings a new Proposition 36, which aims to re-break some of the things that the earlier propositions fixed. It takes a huge step backwards in California’s progress by trying to take us back to the failed policy era of “tough on crime” and “three strikes.”
Proposition 36 is a false solution to real problems. As noted in this 48 Hills opinion piece,
“Backed by big-box retailers and law enforcement, Proposition 36 is being touted as a solution to homelessness and the scourge of fentanyl on the streets. But the initiative does not provide money for housing or treatment beds or allocate any money to create new funding sources to enforce it. In fact, the ballot measure has little to do with addiction and nothing at all to do with homelessness.“
Since 2014, Proposition 47 has reduced California’s prison overcrowding and saved the state more than $800 million, which the state uses instead to fund projects that prevent further crime, trauma recovery for crime victims, and programs to prevent violence in schools. By ending Prop 47’s successes, Proposition 36 would cost Californians between tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars every year,
Worse, Proposition 36 would create a new “three strikes” policy. We know these don’t work and create more violence as offenders seek to avoid a third arrest that could turn into a felony conviction. Let’s not have more police chases and armed showdowns on our streets.
Other resources to learn more about Proposition 36 include the LA Times Endorsement to vote No on Proposition 36, the Vera Institute's explanation, and the No on Prop 36 campaign website.
Let’s protect the progress we’ve made in making our cities safer. We urge you to vote NO on Proposition 36.
In addition, many of your friends and family are likely not aware of the harms that this proposition will do, and they’re likely getting lied to about Prop 47. We ask you to talk with 10 or more of your friends and family members about this proposition to help pre-bunk or debunk the disinformation and fill them in on the truth. The ACLU of Northern California has talking points, resources, and other ways to get involved.
You can pass along our blog post opposing Prop 36, which has all of the above information.
Get your free COVID-19 tests and your 2024 vaccines!
The Biden-Harris administration has brought back COVIDTests.gov. You can order four more rapid tests from the USPS to be mailed to your home address.
Prepare now for the winter surge by ordering your tests today. Don’t wait—the earlier you order, the earlier you’ll have them.
And, good news for uninsured Californians: The California Department of Public Health has opened a statewide replacement for the CDC’s recently-expired Bridge Access Program, providing free COVID-19 vaccines this October through December. This, along with the annual flu vaccine that is also now available, will be vital protection for you and your community.
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TODAY: The Many over MAGA Phonebank: Call white voters with Showing Up for Racial Justice: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 3–6 PM, Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 AM–1 PM and Sunday, Oct. 20, 12–3 PM. Call white voters in Georgia, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio with SURJ on Wednesdays and Sundays! RSVP here.
TODAY: Text Bank into California with GDHQ: Wednesday, Oct. 16, and Monday, Oct. 21, 4:30–5:45 PM. Join the Grassroots Democrats HQ Text Team to mobilize voters for 2024 via text. These sessions continue every Monday and Wednesday through Oct. 23. RSVP here.
Knock Doors in Bakersfield for Rudy Salas: Friday, Oct. 18 – Sunday, Oct. 20. It's time to talk to Democratic voters in CD22 for Rudy Salas! Let's build the grassroots power Democrats need to win in 2024 and to defend democracy long term. Join us in going door-to-door talking to Democratic voters. $100 stipends a day to offset the cost of gas and lodging are available. RSVP here.
TODAY: TRUE to BLUE Phone Banks supporting Democrats in 2024: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 5–7 PM (and every Wednesday through Oct. 30). Join the California Democratic Party to make calls to voters in the Central Valley in CA-22 (Rudy Salas) and CA-13 (Adam Gray) to talk about voting in 2024. RSVP here.
National Phone Bank Hub for Kamala + CA Congressional Districts: Saturday, Oct. 19, 1–3 PM (and every Saturday through Nov 2, plus every day through Election Day). Join to GOTV for Harris, Adam Gray in CA-13 and Rudy Salas in CA-22. RSVP here.
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If you’ve seen our newsletter posts on social media, you might have noticed that we include a photo or graphic with each issue.
Today’s graphic is a graphic using a “Gru’s Plan” meme to explain the importance of signing your mail ballot.
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Keep Fighting,
The Indivisible SF Team
If you'd like to support our all-volunteer team:
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