Dear Fellow Members of Indivisible Chester County –
Next Monday night, we’re holding an event to teach canvassing. After, we’re asking the attendees to canvass their blocks the weekend of April 9th and 10th. Not all weekend, just 1 – 2 hours total, depending on how big your block is. And sign-ups have been, well, paltry at best. I am saddened beyond words.
Political activism is comprised of three things: strategy, tactics and issues. That’s the ballgame. Up until this point, strategy and tactics have been the same thing: resist all issues arising with Congress. But we will spend the rest of our lives doing this if we don’t move forward. And that strategy means electing people we don’t have to call every day. The tactic is to inform registered Democrats about the upcoming May election, to register people to vote, and then to get them to the polls. The issue? The salvation of democracy.
I know what you’re thinking: it’s some primary. You may not even know there’s an election. And then….”I don’t knock doors.” “I don’t like walking around my neighborhood.” “I’m too busy.” “I have errands.” I don’t care what your excuse is, I’ve heard it before.
Because so many people don’t help turnout, we lose elections here in Chester County. This May, we’ll elect the people who run the elections at local polls and make sure they are fair elections (Judges of Elections, Majority and Minority Inspectors). There are contested primaries for Superior Court judges, and some row offices.
We need to up turnout in May, so that it will be easier in November when we elect judges, Supervisors, County Officials, local School Boards, etc. And that will make it still easier when we have a contested Congressional primary next year. And finally, being able to replace Ryan Costello, Pat Meehan and the rest of Congress next year. Not to mention the State Senators and Assemblymen/women who will determine what taxes we pay, what abortion laws are enacted, and eventually how redistricting occurs after the 2020 census. Not to mention building the bench for candidates for higher office.
PLEASE JOIN US. I’m asking for a few hours out of your life to learn how to canvass and register voters. The venue is pleasant and you can drink adult beverages while learning and practicing. The people are friendly.
If you don’t go out an meet voters, you don’t know what their issues are. If you don’t meet voters, you can’t adequately help support your candidates. If we don’t increase turnout, we cannot change who is in office.
So PLEASE, do this. Click this link.
If you’re still not convinced: on average 11% of registered voters in Chester County show up for off-year primaries. If we’re lucky, we hit 25% in off-year November elections. And then we lose. If we can up that number to 16% in May, and 30% in November, we win. And when we win this year, it makes it easier to increase turnout next year. And once we get people into the habit of voting, we can set our sights on 2020.
Canvassing off-years is easy. It’s local, it’s people you know. (If you don’t know your neighbors, get a dog, you’ll know everyone.) It doesn’t take much time. It doesn’t take much effort. You already know the issues and what’s at stake.
So finally — come be a political activist. Or dedicate the rest of your life to writing postcards and making calls, because this is the real work: the work that gets us the government we deserve.
This is not a “do as I say, not as I do” moment for me: I have canvassed for 57 years. And I’ve been out this year, and will be going again. Please join me, and the rest of ICC leadership: we are committed to doing all we can but we really need YOUR help.
Warm Regards,
Jessica