Blue Wave in #Roevember

Sep 30

Answer: The 31 Days of Action Leading Up to Roevember.

Question: What is October?

Now the real question: Are you committing to doing what it takes to get voters to the polls to elect candidates who will protect our freedoms to work, live, learn, vote, and love the way we want and protect the rule of law and norms of our representative democracy?

Will you start the month right by joining us for our IMV Rome Canvass Launch on Sunday, Oct. 2nd? Or our Wednesday Canvass in Clinton/New Hartford on Oct. 5th (see calendar)
Have you signed up to phonebank for the Conole campaign at Democratic Campaign HQ in Utica (or phonebank from home on Zoom)?
Can you help Merima Smajic-Oren for County Clerk by stuffing letters on Thursday, Oct. 6th (please see the calendar!)
Have you saved the date of Oct. 16th for a major Day of Action in Herkimer County (more details to come next week!) so we can help #NY21 defeat Stefanik and elect Matt Castelli?
Are you able to volunteer for two critical public events where we can spread our message about voting and the importance of this election--The Women's Wave Rally in Utica on Oct. 8 and Harvest on the Hill on Oct. 29th?
Will you write a Letter to the Editor or Serve as Poll Worker? (Lots of info about both below)

There is no shortage of actions you can take to get involved in this critical midterm election. We came together in 2018 for a Blue Wave that flipped #NY22 and the House. In 2020 we defeated Trump, but now we need to defeat Trumpism. This is not the time to stand on the sidelines. Get out your calendar and keep reading. October is when we make #Roevember possible.

Women's Wave Rally Utica + Canvass Oct. 8th

"The Rally Team" has organized many demonstrations since the lead up to and the eventual repeal of Roe. On Oct. 8th, the team is organizing a solidarity rally at Oneida Square in Utica for the Women's Wave March. Volunteers are needed for roles including safety marshals. Please email IndivisibleMohawkValley@gmail.com if you can help plan or volunteer at the event. Sign up to attend the rally HERE.

Attention Retired Teachers

An election will be held in October for the retired teacher member seat on NYSTRS' 10-member Board. Please vote for Sally Courtright, who has been endorsed by Divest NY. IMV Climate Crisis Working Group member Mona Perrotti says “In this time of climate crisis and disruption I am glad that Sally has put herself forward for this position on the NYSTRS Board. Retired teachers should be represented by someone just like them, who is able to look at both the security of teacher's pensions and the necessity to invest for a financially sustainable and climate sustainable future."

Ballots will be mailed to all retired teachers who are members of NYSTRS on or about Oct. 1st. Retired teachers should watch for their ballot! Ballots must be returned by Oct. 31 and won't require any return postage. Since this is the first election for the Retired Teacher's slot in many years the ballot return rate may be very small, and so Divest NY is hopeful that Sally's grassroots effort can be competitive. In any case, Sally's campaign sends another message to the NYSTRS that the divestment movement is not going away.

For more information go to https://www.divestnyteachers.org or https://nystrs.org/About-Us/Press-Room/Headlines/Election-to-be-Held-for-Retired-Teacher-Board-Seat

Friends or Family in the Boston Area?

Beginning in 2018 our NY22 friends in Caz Call to Action connected with "Force Multiplier," a group in the very blue Boston-Brookline, MA area that wanted to help Democratic candidates in tough races in purple areas. They have raised money for Anthony Brindisi, Josh Riley, and other candidates. Now they are doing an event to raise money for Fran Conole! What can you do to help? Please send this invitation to everyone you know in the greater Boston area and ask them to attend this event and contribute: It's a flyer that can be sent by email--just copy the link and send! Thanks for helping flip #NY22 Blue!

Donations Requested for Castelli Postcards

Thank you to the many IMV volunteers who showed up to address, label and stamp Castelli (big NO to Stefanik!) postcards yesterday at the Kirkland Town Library. It was standing room only in the space, and the postcards were completed!

Because the postcards were pre-printed and provided by Rural Freedom Network, we were not able to do the attribution on the cards that would allow us to use our Act Blue/Indivisible National account to pay for the stamps. So, a couple individuals purchased most of the 2000 stamps we needed for the project (over $800) and we'd like to reimburse them as much as possible. If you can help with even a small check of $10 or $20, please send it to Indivisible Mohawk Valley c/o IMV Treasurer Deborah Wilson-Allam, 2 Laurelwood Dr., New Hartford, NY 13413. Thank you!

Harvest on the Hill Oct. 29: Volunteers Needed

IMV is organizing a table under our tent for Harvest on the Hill, a large event for children and families (typically 3000-4000 attendees) held on and around James Street in Utica on the Saturday before Halloween, Oct. 29th, from 12pm-5pm. Kids will be able to vote for their favorite candy, and we've already had two significant donations to purchase candy and apples to give away to the kids. Adults will receive our slate card so they're ready to vote Nov. 8th, or a voter registration form so they can vote as early as the May school board election.

Please sign up here to staff the table, donate items, or do some creative projects so our tent is fun for kids and their families. We need a lot of volunteers for this event, and we're very excited about this community outreach for democracy!

Letters to the Editor Needed

A number of IMVers have already responded to a recent Call to Action by Dick Meili for Letters to the Editor by drafting and sending letters in support of candidates and voting in this election!

So far at least five have been published. Here is Katy Timpano's excellent letter about why we need to elect Francis Conole to Congress to protect reproductive and other freedoms. Sarah Reeske's letter to a paper in Oswego detailed Claudia Tenney's consistent and destructive attacks on our country's democracy and the rule of law.

Both Regina Kekis and Nesecan Balkan had their letters published at Syracuse.com on Tuesday. Nesecan's letter endorsed Fran Conole for Congress because of his clear stands on the issues that matter. Regina's talked about the ways the MAGA Republicans reminded her of living under a fascist regime and why it's important to vote Democratic in this election. Nesecan's letter was also published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, which "strives to publish every letter" they receive. They also published Dick Meili's letter about how democracy is on the line earlier in the month.

The IMV LTE workgroup has developed a long list of newspapers in the region that publish LTEs. Many of these papers reach populations that are hard to reach on social media. LTEs matter! Please consider writing one about a candidate you support. Not sure what to say? Use the candidate's website for key points. And if you need help contact Dick Meili at meilinys@frontiernet.net.

Poll Workers & Watchers Needed!

Poll workers are essential to the integrity of our elections. Please consider being a poll worker to help Oneida County polling places be well staffed during Early Voting and on Election Day, November 8.

Sarah Bormann, the Oneida County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner, said on Wednesday that "We are always looking for more poll workers! We are in extra need of DEMS in Vernon, Verona and Vienna - of course we won't turn down folks from any township. Half shifts are easiest for us to coordinate at this point if two friends or family plan to split, but we will try to accommodate folks as we can. To apply to be a poll worker, email Amela at ahrustic@ocgov.net so you can be mailed an application; or if folks can print at home we can email the application. This has been necessary as some folks' materials are getting stuck in a USPS vortex. People can stop by for paperwork, too. People registered as Blanks or Working Family Party can be poll workers - they just have to work for Team Dem on election day."

The Board of Elections has just started poll worker training sessions. If you haven't been contacted by email or a phone call to schedule a class, call the Board of Elections at 315-798-5765.

Another way to help safeguard the voting process: consider becoming a volunteer to Protect the Vote go to https://protectthevote.net

It's Not Too Late to Get Involved in This Critical Election

We need to make the most of the next 40 (!) days, and that means we need to know who is willing to do which critical election roles. Please, please raise your hand if you can knock doors. That is the #1 most important way that we impact election results. When we talk to voters at the doors, we are showing them that they matter and their vote matters. That's how we get voters to show up and vote for our candidates--the candidates who will save democracy in 2022. To fill out your form, please click here. Democracy is not a spectator sport.

Alan Cole