Dear Indivisible Kensington,

The midterms are only two months away and there’s much to do to achieve the blue wave that all the pundits are predicting and that we all so desperately need. Read on to see what YOU can do.

Join Our Postcard Writing Campaigns

Our next campaign is to write postcards to Democratic and Independent voters in Maine in support of Troy Jackson, running for the Senate seat held for many years by Susan Collins. Yes, Susan Collins, who always voices her “concern” but ends up voting the Republican party line (remember Brett Kavanaugh). She’s voted with Trump 96% of the time, only casting an opposition vote when it is clear the Trump agenda will pass. 

She MUST go. Be part of making that happen. Sign up here by September 15; your packet of cards. names, script, etc. will be ready for pick-up no later than September 19. The message focuses on Collins casting the deciding vote to increase funding for ICE. Cards need to be mailed by September 30. 

Also, check soon for a new photo on our website of our in-person postcard party this past Saturday, August 29. Fourteen of us gathered to write GOTV messages to Iowa voters and then to enjoy happy hour together. We wrote 400 postcards which will be mailed to our contact in Iowa and postmarked from there. It was an afternoon of good work, good food and drink, and good companionship.    

And Speaking of Iowa:

It’s not too late to join us for a field trip to Iowa the last week of September.  In partnership with local Indivisible chapters and other progressive Iowans, we’ll be canvassing, helping students register to vote, attending fundraisers and a Town Hall, and getting to know our fellow, midwest activists. Five of us are planning on making the trip, first to Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa, and then on to Davenport, part of the Quad Cities metropolitan area along the Mississippi in Iowa and Illinois. For more information, check out the attached itinerary and/or contact IK4Iowa@gmail.com.

We’re also raising money to fund a set of lawn signs to give to our progressive friends in Iowa to distribute locally. The signs have been created by Factocracy who believe that facts are power. The idea of the lawn signs is to get neighbors talking to neighbors in Republican neighborhoods about the reality of Republican rule. Attached is a pdf order form with the signs we chose to send to Iowa.  Please order as many as you’d like to donate, using the Venmo QR code on the flyer. You might even consider getting one for yourself!

And finally, we’re doing another postcard writing campaign to Iowa voters, this time in support of Josh Turek, the Democratic candidate running for the open Senate seat. The race is considered a “toss-up”. Sign up here and indicate how many packets of 25 you’d like and whether or not you need stamps. We’ll be in touch with you when the packets are ready for pick-up.

Fighting Voter Suppression:

A huge national coalition is getting ready to fight back when Trump/MAGA disrupt voting and crosses Red Lines to try to overturn the results of the midterms. Red Lines could include stealing ballot boxes, occupying polling places, or other similar actions. The national coalition, which includes May Day Strong and No Kings, will be monitoring the situation in all 50 states and will decide when/if Trump crosses a line.  

In California the vote is considered safe, so the national coalition has asked us to hit the streets in massive numbers, peacefully protesting No Kings-style for days on end if necessary, if the need arises.

To be prepared, our friends at Indivisible East Bay (IEB) have asked as many of us as possible to pledge that we will join this massive peaceful resistance. IEB is using an announcement-only Signal chat group to collect signatures. The chat group will ONLY be used to call for Red Line action; your contact info will not be used for any other purpose.

To sign up, navigate to this Google doc, then scan the QR code there with your phone to join the Signal group. (If you’re not already on Signal, you will find another QR code there for you to join.).

We all need to be vigilant and ready to act. Please sign this pledge.

Election Protection:

Hands Off Our Vote is a program developed by National Indivisible designed to protect elections in all 50 states. To read more about the program check out this link, and if you want to be trained for election support, follow this link, where you can listen to the recordings of the first two trainings already held.  

Donate Money:

We know you receive multiple requests every day for money from candidates and organizations, but we think one of the most impactful ways to give is by funding local organizing in every swingable Senate, House and down ballot race. This is the aim of the Movement Voter Project. And here’s an opportunity for you to have fun while also making an impact. Check out this Parlor Game fundraiser on September 19 in Albany, organized by the newly formed Neighbors for Progressive Action (North).

Learn About the Propositions on the California Ballot:

Once again, California voters will be faced with a number of significant, but often confusing, ballot initiatives. This November we’re being asked to decide on issues ranging from a billionaires’ tax (Prop. 40) to a bond measure funding immunology and immunotherapy research (Prop. 38) to voter ID requirements (Prop. 39) as well as various housing and taxation issues. To help sort out all these issues, our friends at Swing Left are holding a live Zoom presentation and Q&A  on Wednesday, October 19, 6:00-7:30 where they will discuss the pros and cons of all 14 propositions.

And keep your eyes open for an announcement in a future IK newsletter about our ballot-marking party.

Stay Hopeful, Be Inspired:

Finally, we can’t forget that our midterms are not the only things happening in the world.  People are struggling for freedom and persisting and even sometimes winning all around the world. Two films that remind us of this are All That’s Left of You about three generations of a Palestinian family and their struggle to survive, and Democracy Noir about the struggle of the Hungarian people to overthrow the Orban regime. You can catch both of these films now. Democracy Noir is being shown on September 16 (see attached flyer) and All That’s Left of You as a benefit for the Middle East Children’s Alliance on Wednesday, September 17.

In Solidarity,

Barbara and Robin for the IK Leadership Team