Did you fill out your IMV Election Action Form?
Takeaways from Our September Meeting
We had an excellent and efficient Zoom IMV meeting on Tuesday evening. It was great to hear from Fran Conole (NY22 Democratic candidate) and his Grassroots Director focused on Oneida and Madison county, Jon Lipe. With the critical midterm and local elections in just eight weeks, our focus is direct voter contact and campaign volunteering. Here's the quick summary and your to-do list to make an impact on the result of the Nov. 8th election:
1. Fill Out IMV's Volunteer Action Form: https://forms.gle/DjFksKq243wya63P7 This is your chance to tell IMV how you'll be involved in the election work in the coming weeks. We have 3 categories and ask that you pick at least 1 action per category.
Messaging
Direct voter contact
GOTV
Once we know your capacity and interests, we can plug you in!
2. Get a Conole for Congress Lawn Sign. Fill out this form that Jon Lipe shared.
3. Message Effectively. Everyone can message effectively about this election with family, friends, and co-workers. Talk to neighbors. Write letters to the editor. Stick to the message: "We're at a crossroads, and we need to come together to defeat Trumpism and Protect Out Freedoms." Here's the Protect our Freedoms message, including the words to use for many of the issues you might be discussing.
Here are the awesome 30 second ads that you can email to your friends and share on social media. They are all powerful and on target. They just need to get seen.
Kirkland Dems Gathering on the Green Tomorrow
Please join the Town of Kirkland Democratic Committee as they welcome candidates on the Green in Clinton, Saturday, Sept. 17th, 1-3 pm. Who will be there? Francis Conole, Dan Butterman, Rob Maciol, Merima Smajic-Oren, and all four Dem judicial candidates on the Oneida County ballot. There will be live music, food, and voter registration. You'll also be able to pick up candidate lawn signs.
How to Volunteer for the Conole for Congress Campaign
The Conole campaign needs volunteers to do direct voter contact two ways right now:
1) Phone Bank. (At Utica office or on Zoom) These are held Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 5:30 -7:30 pm. Sign up on Mobilize here.
Or try the Sunday phone bank on Sept. 25th. 2-4 pm. Sign up here.
If you are new to phone banking, we will provide a full training to get you ready to remind Dems to get out and vote!
Where: Zoom from anywhere or 238 Genesee street Utica NY 13502, right next to Mello's subs
What to Bring: A laptop, cell phone, headphones, and a smile!
2) Oneida County Weekday Canvasses. These are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 pm
With less than 100 days until Election Day, we need all hands on deck to get the word out and let folks know how important it is to vote Blue this year! We will provide you with a list of houses and voters to talk to, a simple script, and a quick training - so all you need to do is come ready to make an impact!
Where: At the Conole Campaign Office at 238 Genesee Street, Utica NY, 13502, next to Mello's Subs Sign up HERE.
Global Climate Strike
Friday, September 23rd, 5-6pm, 430 Court St., Utica
Bring a friend and join the IMV Climate Crisis Working Group and people around the world as part of the September Global Climate Strike. The strike calls on world and business leaders to take urgent and widespread action to stop funding fossil fuels, cut carbon emissions, and invest in a just transition. No delay is acceptable. There is only time for action now! Bring signs calling for divestment from fossil fuels or demanding that President Biden declare a Climate Emergency and that the NYS Senate, Assembly and Governor put their muscle where their mouths are and finally fund the CLCPA with $10 billion in 2023. We lined the street for abortion rights, we should do at least the the same for climate and our future!
Call Governor Hochul
Let Governor Hochul 518-474-8390 know that the climate can’t wait and that you want her to include a minimum of $10 billion to fund the CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act) in this year’s budget.
Buttermann Fundraiser with Sarah Klee Hood & Caroline Reale
Please join co-hosts Sarah Klee Hood and Caroline Reale for a Fundraiser for Dan Buttermann, who is challenging Brian Miller for NY Assembly 122. The event is on Wednesday, September 21 at 5:30pm at Piggy Pat's in New Hartford. The flyer with complete information is available at this link. If you are attending, please bring your SKH lawn signs. She is collecting them.
Do You Love a Parade?
Dan Buttermann, Democratic candidate for the NYS Assembly’s 122nd District, and some of his supporters will be in Waterville’s annual Cruis’in Day’s parade on Saturday, Sept. 17th, 11:30am-12:30pm. He has graciously invited IMV members to join them with signs for Fran Conole. Line-up starts at 11:30 am on Putnam St. (left at the light coming down Route 12), and the parade begins at noon. Bring a lawn, or any other, Conole sign. Dick Meili will have some lawn signs available. It’s a good opportunity to put Fran’s name out there, meet some of Dan’s people and, you can still get to the Kirkland Democrats’ “Gathering on the Green”. Questions? Call Dick at 315-841-8231.
Thoughts on the Dobbs Decision by Jennifer Boulanger
"In 1950’s America, my mother was given the care she needed to survive her miscarriages. In 2022, my mother would, in some parts of this country, be considered a criminal.
It has been over two months since the Dobbs decision, yet the shock continues to reverberate with countless stories of the harm it has already wrought. When my phone lit up on June 24 alerting me that the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, I was in the midst of signing paperwork at a car dealership. For several moments, I sat in stunned silence, unable to focus, the lines on the paper in front of me blurring together. Even though I’d known the decision was coming, the actual words snaking across the string of news alerts and dinging their way down my phone’s display were simply unfathomable. It took me a few beats to realize that no, the New York Times hadn’t gotten it wrong; nor had the Washington Post, CNN, the Wall Street Journal. It had actually happened."
Read the rest of Jennifer Boulanger's essay, "Miscarriage of Justice," HERE.
One More Time on the Messaging
Here's that Protect Our Freedoms messaging document again. Practice, practice.
Open with a shared value:
Americans value our freedoms.
Describe the villains (Trump Republicans) and their actions:
But Trump Republicans want to take away freedom from all who do not look, live, and love like them.
Use shared value of freedom to connect issues:
From our freedom to decide if and when we grow our families, to our freedom to vote, to our freedom for our families to thrive, Trump Republicans want to control us, use violence to overthrow elections, and block the policies we favor.
Reinforce the power of the people: we can because we did:
Americans must join together across race, place and party to protect our freedoms. In 2020, we defeated Trump. This November, we will defeat Trumpism.
Friends, we will...if we talk to enough voters. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
