Reach out to swing voters, protect the USPS, and how to vote safely
Actions for Week of August 16, 2020
It's our second week of action reaching out to voters. Indivisible's goal is to contact 20,000,000 people. Our share is 4,000.
We've written 300 letters so far. More this week, plus texting!
Tuesday, August 18
WRITE LETTERS TO VOTERS
5:30 PM
Since we can’t canvas in PA as planned, we’re writing letters to voters there instead.
Sign up at the link and get your own batch of letters (first option). Please do it in advance, so we can email your letters to you, and you can print them out. Then join us on Zoom.
You might get some swag!
Tuesday, August 18 and Wednesday, August 19
TEXT BANK TRAINING
Indivisible National has added two new text bank training dates. You will need to learn how to use the software before you can text voters. The sessions cover the same material. Pick the one that fits your schedule.
August 18 - 8PM Sign up here
August 19 - 3 PM Register here
If you have already learned how to text bank, join us on Thursday, at 5:30 PM (see below).
Wednesday, August 19th
FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
12 PM
NY Renews, the coalition behind the nation's most progressive climate justice law, is launching a new campaign fighting for investment in communities suffering from climate change, Covid, and economic crises. We want legislators to prioritize good green jobs, a transition to 100% renewable energy, and investment in underserved communities.
Thursday, August 20
TEXT BANKING TO VOTERS
5:30 PM
Reach out to voters without leaving home and or having to use your own phone. It’s all done via your computer. Nobody will see your number, and you don’t have to use your data plan. Sign up at the link (second option).
Thursday, August 20
DNC WATCH PARTY
Time and Link TBD
Vice President Biden will accept the Democratic nomination Thursday night. Indivisible is working with the DNC to get a livestream link so we can have a watch party together. We will send more details once we have them.
Any Time
NY VOTING BILLS
There are bills on Governor Cuomo's desk that will reinstate no-excuse absentee voting, allow voters to fix problems on their ballots, and give us more time to request mail-in ballots. He can also issue another executive order. Call him and tell him to act!
BE A POLL WORKER
The polls don't work without people to staff them, check everyone in, and answer questions. Sign up to be a poll worker (if you can). They really need them and you'll get paid for it too.
SAVE THE USPS
USPS Postmaster General DeJoy is refusing to let mail carriers deliver all the mail, removing or locking mailboxes, and carting off mail sorting machines. Essential medicines, checks, and packages are being delayed for weeks. He is sabotaging our ability to vote, hurting small businesses, and risking people’s lives.
Rep. Maloney's oversight hearing just been moved up to August 24. If he refuses to appear, he should be subpoenaed. Send the Sergeant at Arms if necessary.
If you've had problems such as medication arriving late, shipping delays on packages, or have seen mailboxes removed or locked, share your stories with Rep. Maloney.
https://maloney.house.gov/contact-carolyn/email-me
Phone: 212·860·0606
Meanwhile, interfering with the mail is a crime. Report it to the USPS Inspector General here.
MONTHLY MEETING RECAP
BOARD OF ELECTIONS (BOE) UPDATE
Kim Moscaritolo joined us for our meeting to give us an update on the Board of Elections and planning for November.
As you likely know, large numbers of ballots were invalidated because they lacked signatures, weren’t postmarked in time (or at all), or were not sealed properly.
Governor Cuomo’s no-excuse absentee voting order has expired. This means you currently cannot vote absentee unless you are physically absent or have an accepted medical excuse.
If/when he does sign the legislation or issue a new order, you will be able to apply online as you did for the primary. Ballots are expected to go out starting at the end of August.
The ballot design will be changed to make the instructions clearer. There has been some discussion about obtaining tracking software, sorting machines, and other measures to speed up the process and allow absentee voters to determine if their vote has been received and counted.
MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE
Get a sample ballot in advance, and read the instructions carefully to make sure you fill it out correctly.
If you qualify for usual absentee rules
-apply for your ballot early
-don’t make any stray marks on the ballot
-make sure you sign it, seal it, and get it postmarked
-return it early
If there’s an order or legislation for no-excuse absentee voting
-apply early
-make sure you fill out the ballot completely without making any stray marks
-sign the ballot
-seal the envelope
-return your ballot as early as possible (you can mail it, bring it to a polling place, or have a friend drop it off)
Vote early in person
-avoid the crowds and vote early
-polling places had PPE and sanitizer for the primary; make sure you have your own just in case
-the BOE will have early voting sites and dates listed on their website (I will send the link once it is posted)
DITCH MITCH
Leslie McColgin from KY Four Rivers Indivisible joined us to discuss what they are doing to evict Mitch McConnell. They have put up a billboard, Burma-Shave style signs, and produced a video with ordinary Kentuckians showing how Mitch has hurt them.
Leslie has been featured on several blogs and Daily Kos, which got her some donations. A local AFL-CIO official saw her billboard and liked it. He is now planning to put up more!
She is working on getting a Mitch cutout to highlight how he has been absent for KY (he just adjourned the Senate for a month without passing any relief).
They need more money to keep the billboard up. Since we’re not using the money we’d normally pay for the room at the church, we’re considering funding the billboard for the next two months. You should have gotten an email about this on Friday. There’s still time to let us know what you think of this idea.
QUARANTINE FUN
ADULTS
Dance
Ella performed by Alvin Ailey (available until August 20)
This performance matches a concert performance by Ella herself with super-fast dance moves. The dancers may end up out of breath, but you can just sit back and watch.
Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden
Dresden’s orchestra performs Rachmaninoff‘s popular Symphony No. 2. Conducted by Antonio Pappano
Nature
Ever wander around a park, or even look out your window and wonder what birds, bugs, or plants you’re seeing? Here are some free apps to figure that out.
Birds
What’s that bird? This app from the Audubon society can help you identify it (by looks or by song/call).
Plants/Animals
This app will tell you what plants or animals you see (there are badges and applause when you see something for the first time)
EVERYONE
Engineering
Wait for the end (their entire feed is like this; it’s fun)
KIDS/GRANDKIDS
Shark Facts!
It’s shark week! Time for some real information about sharks (hint: they’re not as scary as you may think)
Mars Rover Launch
NASA has launched a new rover to Mars. This one has have a microphone, so we can hear Mars for the first time. Learn how to draw your own rover,
Make your own ArtBot!
This will require some mechanical skills (plus a motor and a battery case). But, once you’re done, it will draw by itself.
Star Wars Coding
No fancy computer skills needed. Watch the short video and then drag the blocks around to control BB-8.