Written with Pride

Dropping a line to the swing states

During Pride Month, I want more than ever to back people into a corner and tell them exactly what I think about the stakes of the upcoming election—for the LGBTQ community, and for all of us. But one of the most frustrating things about trying to get out the vote is that the voters I most want to talk to—the undecided, persuadable few in swing districts—are far out of my reach, geographically speaking. I can’t set up a table in Arizona or Ohio and spread the good word.

So it’s worth looking, I think, at the many organizations doing postcarding campaigns—sending postcards to potential voters, especially those in districts with winnable races—and writing a few myself.

A lot of the postcards or letters that get sent, however, are somewhat generic—“Get out and vote, your voice matters” sort of stuff, which really doesn’t have much effect. Or inspirational messages: “I vote because I want to preserve democracy.” But I feel that if I’m going to go to the trouble to write something, I want it to have a clear message offering useful information—like the dates and locations for early voting. And I want my postcards to be aimed where they’ll do the most good.

So I recommend an organization called Activate America. After much comparison shopping, I’ve found that they’re the most user-friendly set-up. They target races that are very possible to win—not long shots. Much as I’d like to oust Matt Gaetz or his ilk, it’s a Forlorn Hope. But so many races—crucial, must-win ones— are going to be nail-bitingly close.

Here’s how it works. You go to the Activate America website. Choose which race you want to write postcards for. They will immediately e-mail you a script and a list of addresses—you can specify how many you want to tackle—10, 20, 30, whatever.

They design a specific script for each campaign. They craft clear, short messages, targeted to the carefully researched interests of that particular group of voters. You can underline the key points in red ink or purple marker if you want to get creative. Here’s one sample, aimed at Ohio Democrats in a working-class district who are infrequent voters:

Dear [voter’s first name]

Thanks to Senator Sherrod Brown, a new semiconductor plant is being built by union workers in New Albany—creating good-paying jobs now and for the future! Let’s re-elect Ohio’s own Senator Brown!

Early voting starts 10/8. More info at OhioSOS.gov.

Thanks for being a voter!

[Your first name], Volunteer

To be clear, this costs you some money—you have to buy your own postcards and stamps. But it seems like an effective donation—good bang for the buck.

You divulge none of your personal information. You mail the postcards. You’re done.

Here's the question, though—does postcarding work?

Don’t people just glance at the postcard, sigh, and toss all our hard work in the trash? Of course. About 98.7 per cent of people getting postcards do just that. But an organization called the Progressive Turnout Project claims that their research shows that postcards increase Democratic turnout by 1.3%. In 2020, postcard programs “added thousands of votes in states critical to President Biden’s victory. In the 2022 midterms, postcards added 22,500 votes in key races across the nation.”

It’s that crucial 1.3 per cent—the few, the very few, who will say to themselves, oh, right, I really should vote on Tuesday, who make the difference.

And if we could recapture just a few seats in the House or the Senate, it could—quite literally--make all the difference in the world. A Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and/or the Senate would be a shield against disaster should the worst happen. And at the best, it could enable us to really pass some world-changing legislation.

One little race in NY-17 or NJ-07 or CA-45 could turn everything around. One Senator could swing the majority our way. It’s worth our attention.

Dear Friends,

Are you more than a little worried about the election of 2024 and wondering what to do about it? I hope you’ll continue to check out The Optimistic Activist.

Every Tuesday I post some ideas for doing something. How to get out the vote, spread the word, and support progressive candidates. Ideas for simple but effective activism. As easy, as practical, as do-able as I can make them.

Together, I think, we could really make a difference.

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future.”

                                                                 --Noam Chomsky