Happy Friday, Activists!
Here's your Friday roundup of our events and actions including our upcoming meeting, and of course our fun Quizzo night! Check out this week’s important Calls To Action at this link to Tuesday’s newsletter.
But first, what a day yesterday, amiright? Call it a momentous day, with an apparent agreement on the framework for the Build Back Better bill. The great news is that the progressive bloc held, and we’re on the path to passing Build Back Better and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package and getting some major wins for everyone. Childcare, climate action, home care, and affordable housing are all still on the table, thanks to the hard work of Indivisible activists (we're looking at you all!), partners in the Congressional Progressive caucus and many others. Here is what’s in and what’s out at the moment, and what progressives are still fighting for.
We’ll have more updates next week, as the House and Senate headed home for the weekend and are still working on the final package.
Since they are still negotiating, we know it’s not over. So for right now we need to keep the pressure up. Go to Tuesday’s email at this link and make the calls in the Call To Action. Keep the pressure on our senators and House members to get the best deal possible for real progressive change!
For your Halloween – voting reminder stickers!
Click here to print these cute labels that tell voters where to find their polling place. Just tape them onto your candies!
PHONE BANKS TO ELECT GOOD JUDGES
Save Democracy - Get Out The Vote For Statewide Judicial Candidates
This is so critical. Remember last year when our votes were being challenged by the likes of Rudy Giuliani? The PA Supreme Court held the line and upheld our free and fair election. Our recommended Democratic candidates are our best line of defense against far-right attacks on our freedom and democracy. You can help save our votes now! Sign up for a phone bank shift to friendly voters, merely reminding them to get out and vote on November 2. Two dates are below – tomorrow or Monday. SIGN UP HERE. From Turn PA Blue and the PA Dems – · Saturday, 10/30, from 12-2 or 2-4 PM · Monday, 11/1, from 4-6 or 6-8 PM This phone bank uses the autodialer, ThruTalk. There will be training before each shift, and we’ll stay on Zoom while we make calls for support and camaraderie. SIGN UP HERE.
COMING UP – A PROTECT DEMOCRACY ACTION
Join us on November 10 at 5:00 pm for a short action to show Congress must pass the freedom To Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Act – and end the filibuster. We’ll hold up signs and ask drivers around City Hall to honk for democracy! Where: Broad Street at the south side of City Hall Sign up here.
QUIZZO NIGHT!
If you haven't played Quizzo before here's your chance! It's super fun. We will have a professional Quizzo Master lead the game. You can join a team or start your own, to go on to fame and glory!
Come for the camaraderie!
Come for the food!
Come for the prizes!
Come for the glory of a winning team!
And bring a friend!
We'll provide all the food and there will be a cash bar.
When: Tuesday, November 16, 6:00 pm
Where: Black Sheep Irish Pub, 247 S. 17th St, Philadelphia, 19103, Second Floor. We'll have this private room to ourselves. The windows will be open so we have good ventilation.
The Rules: You must: (1) be vaccinated; (2) bring proof of vaccination; (3) wear a mask in the building when you're not eating or drinking.
(This party is brought to us through a generous grant from Indivisible national.)
OUR NEXT MEETING
Women’s Reproductive Health – Where Do We Go From Here?
This will be an amazing and timely meeting with authors and activists Kathryn Kolbert and Julie Kay. Their new book is Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom.
In 1992, Kolbert argued before the United States Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the seminal case that modified but upheld the rights established in Roe v. Wade.
Our speakers will discuss the state of things after the recent rulings on the Texas anti-abortion law and the cases scheduled to come before the Supreme Court next year. And they’ll offer what we should be ready to do in light of those realities. We are partnering with Turn PA Blue on this event.
When: Thursday, November 11, 7:30 pm
Where: Zoom
4 DAYS UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 2 ELECTION
If you still have your mail-in ballot, DO NOT MAIL IT - drop it in a drop box or at the election board office. And tell your friends to vote in this important election!
YOUR ELECTION RESOURCES
1. Here is our resource on the backgrounds of the statewide judicial candidates – PA Supreme Court, PA Superior Court and PA Commonwealth Court. We recommend voting for all the Democrats on this list.
2. Read the ratings by the Philadelphia Bar Association just for the Philadelphia-based candidates. It includes the local judges up for retention.
3. Read the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s ratings and backgrounds for all the statewide judicial candidates.
Supreme Court ratings at this link.
Superior Court ratings at this link.
Commonwealth Court ratings at this link.
4. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania held forums for the judicial candidates - videos at this link.
5. See a good roundup of all the races – including District Attorney, City Controller, etc., in this Philadelphia Citizen article.
6. Here'sa comprehensive list of voting options and the current map and list of drop boxes in Billy Penn at this link.
7. Philly's ballot questions -- Read an explainer at this link and one just for Question #3 at this link. Here's the Inquirer's list of endorsements including the ballot questions and a contrary view on Question #4 at this link.
Voting by mail and your ballot
1. Ballot drop boxes – Find a map of the locations at this link. All the drop boxes are available 24/7 and are monitored by security cameras. You can only drop off your own ballot unless you fill out this form.
2. Check your mail-in ballot status with the state ballot tracker at this link.
Info for election day
PA Dems Voter Protection Hotline: 833-PAVOTES (833-728-6837)
PA Dems Digital Voting Guide: enables every voter in Pennsylvania to enter their address and preview races and Democrats on their local ballot — from the PA Supreme Court all the way down to school board and town council.
PA Dems Voting Location Finder: helps voters find their county’s drop boxes and election offices where they can return a mail-in ballot or vote early.
35 DOORS PROJECT
Our Neighborhood Leaders are out engaging with their neighbors to talk about voting and elections. Join this project to be a Neighborhood Leader interacting with voters at 35 addresses in your neighborhood. We'll provide you everything you need -- training, materials (handouts, door hangers, voter registration forms), information about the upcoming elections, and other support. You’ll go to doors a few times per year and become the local neighborhood election expert! We’ll also provide the addresses in coordination with you.
If you want more info or to sign up email us at this link!
POSTCARDS
We are writing to persuade infrequent voters (read: they never vote in midterm elections) to get out and vote next year to secure Democratic victories for the open U.S. Senate seat and the open PA Governor’s seat.
Here’s how it works –
The hand-written script is only two sentences plus you’ll also write the address. We recommend you order enough cards to write over the next two months.
The packet you receive will include the postcards and the list of addresses. We’ll email you all the instructions and the script. Please order your postcards in multiples of 50.
We ask that you donate $7.00 per set of 50 postcards to cover our costs. But don’t let the donation stop you from ordering the postcard packets. On the other hand, if you can, please consider chipping in a little extra to cover the cost for those who cannot.
Here’s how to sign up –
1. Email us at this link to tell us how many postcards you want.
2. Purchase your 40-cent postcard stamps online at this link or at your local post office.
3. Donate $7.00 per set of 50 postcards at this link. (Plus an extra $5.00 if we are shipping to you.)
Here’s how to receive your postcards –
* If you are in the Philadelphia area, we will deliver the postcard packets to you or you can pick them up. If you haven’t written postcards with us before, please give us your address.
* If you are outside the Philadelphia area, we can ship the packet to you. Please add $5.00 to your donation for shipping costs.