Join one of the Balloon Juice Postcarding Parties – starting at 8pm on Saturday, and again on Tuesday. Posts will go up at 7:45!! All times Eastern.
From Lizzy (Mousebumples) from Wisconsin
Postcards are a great way to encourage and get our Voters to the polls.
From the Postcards to Voters website FAQ:
Q – Is there any evidence to indicate mail-based campaigns make a real difference at the ballot box?
A – Yes! Political scientists have conducted dozens of experiments on the effect of direct mail and find that, on average, mailers increase turnout when they use “messages that emphasize civic duty or the importance of making one’s voice heard” (Gerber and Green 2015, pg. 58). Additional evidence also shows that making the interaction feel personalized, rather than just a blanket message from an organization, is key to increasing the effectiveness of voter outreach.
When Dems turn out, we win!
If you’re already an approved Postcards to Voters writer or you are writing with Postcard Patriots, you’re all set to get addresses to write. If not, please go to http://postcardpatriots.com/ to request addresses.
You’ll need postcards (which may include cardstock that you’ve cut down), postcard stamps (or first-class in a pinch), pens and/or markers, and postcard snacks. Don’t forget snacks, drinks, and whatever gets you in the postcarding groove.
Thank you for being a postcard writer!
Oh, and totally open thread.
WaterGirl
Totally open thread!
WaterGirl
Not entirely unrelated:vv
Cluttered Mind wrote this in the previous thread.
@Cluttered Mind:
How about we try to raise $2,500 for Danielle in Maine to help replace signs that are being destroyed or anything else the campaign needs?Never mind.
Mousebumples
@WaterGirl: he just said in the last thread (probably while you were making this one) that they can’t take ActBlue funds (public campaign funding) but the local Dem party could use the $.
And thanks for this/these posts! I’m running around with my kiddos today, but I’m looking forward to postcards later!
Baud
@WaterGirl:
Turn it off. See comment 95 in the last thread.
ETA: MB got there first.
Mousebumples
@Baud: and this is the local party ActBlue – Link
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: @Baud:
Thanks, I ran out to the store for a minute so I hadn’t seen that comment in the last thread. oh well
I deleted that thermometer from ActBlue.
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: I have to say, your postcards look awesome!
Not too much text, very approachable, and nice looking!
H.E.Wolf
This is a great idea!
A favor to ask: Could you please add the time zone to the posted times? I have trouble remembering what “blog time” is meant to be. :)
Thank you!
Mousebumples
@H.E.Wolf: blog time is eastern time zone. (WV time, if that helps you remember)
I’ll be starting around 7pm central – mostly depending on when my 3 yo goes to bed.
Planning to watch my Milwaukee Bucks tonight while I postcard too. 😊 #BucksIn6️⃣ #FearTheDeer🦌
Mousebumples
@WaterGirl: Thanks! I love that I get the messaging from Postcards to Voters. I just need to figure out what order to put things in.
I’ve got a mix of colors and just pen above, too, which depends in part on my mood and how crunched for time I feel. Now, I’m feeling like quantity is more important than color coding names, so I’ll use text placement and size to bring attention to important things like names (eg the Georgia postcards above).
As of this morning, current #PostcardsToVoters lists are –
I usually take 5-10 addresses at a time, and then request more as I get through those. I’ll usually write all the messaging before doing all the addressing and stamping stuff. But lots of ways to get things done! 📬
Lurker Dan
To all postcard writers – here in NC, I have received two in the last two days. Your efforts are recognized and appreciated
Excellent timing too, early voting started on Thursday.
WaterGirl
@Lurker Dan: Yay! Did your two postcards both say the same thing?
Kristine
@Mousebumples: I like how you turned the postcard to fill in the space and allow for larger candidate names. I will probably do the same.
I have orange and green gel pens and am debating sketching a small peach. Depends how confident I am of my artistic skills once I get started
I’ll be there for tonight’s party. 7pm cst for me.
Lurker Dan
@WaterGirl: Pretty much the same, “Thanks for being a previous voter, make sure you get out and vote in this one. And tell your friends!”
Nice to get them, if I had been on the fence to vote or not, they would have provided a little extra motivation.
Mousebumples
@Kristine: haha, I am not confident in my ability to draw anything beyond stick figures, so I shy away from drawing.
And that sounds like a great plan! My first postcard for a campaign sometimes gets revised/rearranged for Take Two, etc. You’ll get into a groove and find what works for you.
I love the PtV postcards – great stock and plenty of writing space. If I need to write small, my handwriting gets harder and harder to read.
(for addresses, i sometimes need to put “Apt 2341” on a separate line, and the Zip+4 usually goes on its own line too)
Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Not sure if WaterGirl or other front pagers can share postcards people finish as they go, but I usually Tweet mine out, and I can definitely post a link here.
#JuicersForDemocracy #PostcardsByB-J… other hashtag suggestions?
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: I can definitely post pictures of finished postcards, what a great idea!
Just send me an email with the pictures as attachments and I will put them up as I receive them!
Kropacetic
Going for first day of early in-person voting today (Massachusetts). Made a decision on one last ballot question and just quickly scanning the Repub candidates to see if any of them aren’t complete kooks (not holding my breath).
For all the hate Republicans heap onto Twitter, why do none of the Republicans running have a campaign website and why are they running their whole online campaign on Twitter? That includes our Trump-endorsed candidate for governor.
WaterGirl
Would anyone who is not writing postcards be interested in having a BJ zoom conversation? Our conversation could be entertainment while the others are writing postcards?
cain
I would like to do this for oregon governor’s race. How do I do that?
Heidi Mom
I went to postcardpatriots.com and clicked on “Get Addresses,” but no addresses appeared. I’ve only had one cup of coffee, though, so maybe I missed something.
WaterGirl
@Heidi Mom: I did something similar a few weeks ago.
I will email MazeDancer and ask her to come answer your question on this thread. :-)
The Truffle
I have been sending postcards and letters galore. What do you think of putting stickers and the like on them? I put a few colorful stars and asterisks.
Jackie
Got my ballot Thurs. After A LOT of searching, finally found enough information on the four republicans – No Democratic choices – to determine which two were the least MAGA. Thanks to Facebook LOL. Helpful hints included accusing opponent of being a RINO. Voted for the RINO. The other race has a candidate mentioning the flag, In God I Trust, and liberty. I didn’t vote for him😁
Plan to use the Dropbox option tomorrow while running a few errands.
MazeDancer
@Heidi Mom: What you are doing is emailing me to get addresses through an easy form.
This page has the form: postcardpatriots.com/contact-1
You fill-in your email address and order how many addresses you want. .And for which candidate if you have a preference.
Then I email your list back to you.
Mousebumples
@The Truffle: Sounds great! I pre-printed address labels with how to join PtV (Text JOIN to 484-275-2229) since i was always worried I’d transpose some numbers or something.
And I’ve used up (c. 2020) my collection of non voting postcards (eg Women in Science, National Parks, from trips), and I have friends that upcycle cereal boxes… Somehow.
For anyone with more crafty free time than I have – link how to.
WaterGirl
@Jackie: Ugh. How can there be no democrats for any of the big races?
MazeDancer
@WaterGirl: No signing up necessary. Just a contact form to place your order.
Very easy.
You can click on “Get Addresses” from the menu bar on every page on the site. Or on the “Get Addresses” link next to the candidates for whom we have addresses.
All links go to the easy form on this page: page:postcardpatriots.com/contact-1
Submit form. Addresses get emailed back to you.
The Truffle
@Mousebumples: I am getting non voting postcards. Just dunno where. Using those silly preprinted stamps from the post office too because the lines are nuts.
Jackie
@WaterGirl: One is for County Prosecutor; the other is for County SC judge. In a VERY RED county. Several county positions only have ONE candidate – all republicans. I leave those blank.
Mousebumples
@The Truffle: totally works! USPS also sells pre-stamped postcards. The cardstock isn’t all that heavy, but they work. 😊
@Jackie: I have a handful of super local races that are the same – only one Republican candidate. 🙁
WaterGirl
@Jackie: I voted NO on retaining any judge that is Republican. It took some research because our judge elections races are “non-partisan”.
Narrator: ‘No, they are not!”
tybee
I got a “Be a Voter” post card today from illinois. :)
Kristine
@WaterGirl:
I did the same, and yes, it took some digging. Got the idea from Dorothy A. Winsor and ticked at myself that I didn’t think if doing it before now. I always went by the ABA recs.
H.E.Wolf
@WaterGirl: ”@Mousebumples: I can definitely post pictures of finished postcards, what a great idea!”
NOTE: You probably thought of this already, but be sure to conceal the recipients’ addresses before posting a picture.
Mousebumples
@H.E.Wolf: Yup!
For postcarders, you can either take the photo before writing the addresses, cover the addresses with another postcard, or do some digital markup to cover it (though that might be technologically reversible? 🤷♀️)
can’t wait to see what everyone does!
Jackie
@WaterGirl: We don’t have a “retain” option. We have to pick our poison and vote accordingly.
Joy in FL
I am so happy to have a postcard writing party. I’ll be here : )
WaterGirl
@Kristine: Yeah, I found my info on judges from Ballotpedia for the judge who was up for retention.
There was a detail that he ran unopposed on the Republican ticket when he was first elected. That’s all I needed to know!
WaterGirl
@Jackie: So for you, once a judge is in, they are in forever?
I think judges were always retained before – Just a few years ago even I would leave that blank or vote to retain, without information. Hopefully now that Rs have shown themselves to value party of the law, the time for that is long gone.