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Hands Voting

Strategy and communication

TOOLS and TIPS

Vote Democratic!

TOOLS

Read MAFlipPA's Rural Reporter

for bi-weekly tools, tips, and inspiration.

Putting AI to Work for Progressive Causes:

Examples of ChatGPT-generated messaging

Counter Messaging: 

Responding to fear-mongering.

(Source: PSG Consulting)

Messaging Guides: 

A valuable resource to learn the principles of persuasive and mobilizing messaging of political issues with examples for how to apply them. (Source:  ASO Communications)

Advice about creating and supporting inclusive schools in PA:  Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools (PA WInS)  coalition seeks to engage more people to push back against the extremists.  They offer advice, fact sheets, forms for reporting suspected discrimination, promising practices, and messaging guidance. 

ThruText can make texting campaigns easier.  Texting can be as, or more, effective than phone calls at reaching voters, especially younger ones.  And it's often easier to find volunteers to point and click.

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How to Win Your Local Election Guide:  NGPVAN, the company behind VoteBuilder (detailed voter information) and Mobilize (for promoting events) offers a free, and extensive 65-page guide.  It describes everything from calculating a "win" number to targeting the right voters, precincts, campaign planning, communication strategies, and more.

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Gun Control Violence Prevent Scorecard 

Find out your legislators' views on gun control.  Use TikTok or Reels to share scores of local representatives with young volunteers and voters and ask them to call or text their representatives and urge them to enact common sense gun control. (Source:  CeaseFirePA)

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BallotReady

Register voters online!

(Source:  Indivisible)

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Messaging the harm of PA GOP spending plans:

Share the facts about the damage the GOP's spending bill would have on Pennsylvanians from slower Medicare payments to rural providers, loss of access to job training, and more....

(Source: Activitate America)

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Why Judges Matter!

Use this interactive tool to discover how the judges you elect have a direct impact on issues that matter to you most, including abortion, civil liberties, and education.  Go ahead and select a topic!

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Messaging the Opioid Crisis

Trump ignored the opioid crisis; Biden's taking action.  The DNC has pulled together messaging and news reports highlighting the fact that fentanyl deaths sourced under Trump.  Useful information that contrasts Republican indifference with Democratic action.

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Perceptions on the Economy in Battleground States

Likely voters in battleground districts are deeply pessimistic about the economy.  This is challenging news for Democrats trying to overcome perception vs reality. Learn more on views of the economy in battleground from Navigator, a resource that develops and distributes progressive messages and polling on the most pressing issues.

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Free Precinct-Level Voting Data

Check out Dave's Redistricting, a free interactive and powerful website to help evaluate the fairness of proposed redistricting maps.  Activists can use it to guide voter registration, ballot chasing, or even volunteer recruitment.  (Sponsored by Social Good Fund.)

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Messaging Healthcare in Rural Communities

Proven strategies for talking about sensitive issues such as abortion, and compelling statistics about why rural health care is failing, and what voters can do about it.

(Source: RuralVote.org, advocating for rural people and rural places.)

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Running Campaigns in Small Towns and Rural Communities

RuralOrganizing.org has an impressive track record or research and action driving the Progressive agenda in rural areas.  Download their campaign toolkit here and other Rural Organizing resources from their website.

(Source:  Rural Organizing.)

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Who Tried to Kill Local Infrastructure Projects?

Find the names of MAGA Republicans who tried to kill local infrastructures that are now benefitting Pennsylvania.  The Democracy Labs has mapped almost 27K projects across the country, including many in PA, and overlaid it with the Republicans who voted to kill the bill.  Shame on you Mike Kelly, Glenn Thompson, Guy Reschenthaler, John Joyce, Fred Keller, 

Scott Perry, Dan Meuser, Lloyd Smucker!

(Source: Democracy Labs)

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Social Media Storm Training

"Register Democrats.  Save the World."  Sign up for training with Field Team 6 and learn how to take part in a "social storm."

(Source: Field Team 6)

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MurMur's Gen Z Activist Network

Learn how to empower young people to be effective messengers.  Gen Z Activist Network offers technical and strategic tools, training, and resources to ensure Gen Z voices are heard throughout the 2024 election. 

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Free Messaging from Rural Freedom Network

RFN offers professional, high-quality, hard-hitting media from postcards to social media posts -- all for free!

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Interactive Bob Casey Investment Map

Track and share news about benefits Senator Bob Casey has delivered for Pennsylvania with this interactive map.

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Shareable progressive social media content

Keystone Newsroom updates this toolkit regularly with copy and suggested messaging.

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Free calls from experienced volunteers

Red2Blue is offering free calls from experienced volunteers to follow up with newly registered voters to make sure they received their voter registraiton card and to ensure they make it to the polls.  For more info, email Craig Seligman or Debra Taylor.

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Yard signs from Rural Organizing

Online store for rural voters to support democratic values and Democratic candidates.

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Anti-Project-2025 images

Download and share on social media the damaging impact Project 2025 would have on rural Pennsylvanians.

Project 2025 would eliminate Head Start for 34,080 low-income children in PA.

PA family would see tax increase of $3167 per year.

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How Project 2025 Harms Pennsylvanians​

Two-page data set from the Center for American progress lays out real-world impacts for Pennsylvania.

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TIPS

Fly your flag!  It's a great way to "take back" the patriotic brand from the far right.

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Have a pressing issue?  Host a public conversation with local political leaders to discuss it.  

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Let AI work for progressive causes!   See sample AI-generated organization description and voter registration outreach to inspire opportunities.

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Adopt a Democrat!

As we gear up for a Trump-Harris match in 2024, too many likely Democrats may sit on the sidelines.  Encourage distracted or dismayed voters to make their voices heard in the voting booth or via their mail-in ballots.  "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Distribute literature - at the laundromat!

Looking for public places to leave your literature.  Try your local laundromats where people waiting for their laundry are likely to read it.

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Get young voters to to participate!

Set up recruiting tables outside sports events.  Or, do what Chair of Schuylkill County Dems, Todd Zimmerman, does and pull a monthly list of newly registered Democrats in the county and send a letter to those who are 18 years or older.  

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Coral press coverage for your event!

The national progressive group, Indivisible, has tips on how to get press coverage for your events - coverage that will make your member of Congress and other lawmakers sit up and pay attention.

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What have you done for me?

Create a poll card list of candidate accomplishments specific to your county or locality.  See sample from Delaware County, PA.

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Create compelling posters!

Instead of the usual name and bio handouts at polls, display a poster with tangible positive things your candidate has done for your community.  See sample displayed for winning candidates at polls in Delaware County, PA.

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Create good vibes by adopting a road!

Delaware Valley Action in Pike County, PA, sponsored a cleanup of two roads.  Signs posted on both roads now identify DVA as the sponsor, generating name recognition and good vibes with every driver that passes.  Contact your township supervisor or county commissioner to adopt your own road, or the PA Department of Transportation's "Adopt a Highway" program for state roads.

 

How to elect Progressives in rural districts!

Better funding, off-cycle organizing, focusing on local issues and emotional appeals can help elect Progressives even in red, rural areas.  Read key takeaways from 2022 election.

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Share the importance of voting for state representatives and not just national congressional and presidential races.

A survey by Sister District and Data for Progress found that liberals vote in national congressional and presidential, but fail to understand the importance of voting further down the ballot for state candidates.  Learn more.

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Identify PA's public officials who participated in election denial activities.

Who are they and learn how they've impacted you.

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