Fighting against the darkness - next steps for IndiMarin

Many of you have been writing us in understandable frustration and despair. In short, you are asking, "What can we do, and what MORE can be done to stop the destructive actions of the current Administration?"

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. For me personally, I try to compartmentalize somewhat each day to preserve my mental health, and focus on one or two specific actions I can take that day to fight against the darkness. It may be calling my member of Congress, or attending a cause-related zoom meeting of a group I admire. Or it may be helping a neighbor, or volunteering at a food pantry. I believe that if each of us strive each day to add light to our world that, in the long run, will overcome the darkness. 

At IndiMarin, the leadership team is now reflecting on how we can best serve our members in these complicated and difficult times. There are so many issues needing attention and actions that are worthwhile. Our membership is varied, and our members have different goals for their personal activism, and live in a range of locations across the country.  So we have decided that the best approach is to serve as a resource and referral source, to the best of our ability, in supporting our members as they find their own personal path for activism this year. We will soon be updating our website to reflect this new approach and will host an all-member zoom meeting to elaborate on February 12 at 5pm PT/8pm ET. We hope you can join us. Sign up here.


In the meantime, if you are seeking more guidance on ways to take action, we recommend subscribing to these three Substack authors. They offer excellent perspective, inspiration and advice for constructive actions to take:
Jessica Craven, "Chop Wood Carry Water"
Simon Rosenberg, "Hopium Chronicles"
Robert Hubbell, "Today's Edition."
*Note that Simon and Robert offer regular meetings for paid subscribers which are informative and inspiring. They are a great opportunity to be in virtual community with like-minded people.

We also encourage you to sign up for the Indivisible National email list. They are showing excellent leadership since the election loss. If you have not read their new guide, it is a worthwhile read. Also, today at 5pm PT, 8pm/ET, you’re invited to join Indivisible, MoveOn, Working Families Party, and a coalition of other organizations for an action call. During the call, you will hear key movement leaders from across the country as they give us their best strategic guidance on how to take action against the Trump funding freezes! Sign up here.

In closing, I will say that many of us who have been intensively involved in this fight for the last eight years are depleted. We are trying to soldier on in the fight. Those who are newer to this work may have more energy reserves and will serve as welcome reinforcements in action and leadership. We welcome your engagement and will work to help provide you with resources.

I hope you find some of the above idea's useful as you work to add light in the coming week. I also hope that you will join us on 2/12 to further discuss IndiMarin's operating philosophy for 2025 and our support for your personal path of advocacy.

In solidarity,
Susan Morgan
Founder and Director, Indivisible Marin

It's (another) dark day - Be loud and shine your light!

For the sake of expediency and urgency, we are pasting in below today's important Substack post from Jessica Craven, the author of "Chop Wood, Carry Water." PLEASE take the suggested actions ASAP. We must stay loud in these very dark and difficult times. We can only fight darkness by shining a bright light.

We highly recommend subscribing to Jessica's Substack for $5 month. She provides daily actions as well as perspective and inspiration that can sustain us all and keep us engaged. One can also subscribe for free, but if you are able to become a paid subscriber it will support her very important work. She is a tireless advocate for all of the principles and policies we care about. Subscribe here.

Excerpt of Chop Wood, Carry Water below. Entire post.
See important actions for you to take ASAP

"My goodness. What a day—and it’s not even noon on the West coast. 

We woke up, of course, to a barrage of news, both about Trump’s latest set of purges—this time from the DOJ—and a funding “freeze,” which is both utterly illegal and horribly destructive. While I presume the latter will eventually get blocked by the Supreme Court, the short-term pain it will cause can’t be overstated. I’m already getting frantic calls and texts from non-political friends about everything from HIV grant funding getting pulled to NGOs shutting down. Senior citizens across the country are wondering if their Meals on Wheels will show up tonight; impoverished children are wondering if they’ll get lunch at school today. Trump’s EO is a mean-spirited, capricious, and pernicious attack on the most vulnerable everywhere—all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Really wild.

The “good” news, if you can call it that, is that, as far as the spending freezes go, what Trump is doing is blatantly, flagrantly illegal. Congress, and Congress alone, hold the “power of the purse.” Once funds have been appropriated through Congress the president lacks any power to withhold (or impound) them. Nixon tried in the 70’s, and Congress responded by swiftly passing a bill to ensure no president could ever do so again. It’s called the Impoundment Control Act of 1974; you can read all about it here. The Supreme Court has upheld and affirmed it. 

In short, Trump has no legal leg to stand on here. The lawsuits have already started and will almost certainly succeed. In the meantime, however, the suffering will be immense. So it’s time for us to make noise—a lot of it—now. Lawmakers respond to a backlash. Let’s create one, and let it be fierce. I’ve done my best to give you good talking points below. You don’t need to say everything I’ve written—I found it difficult to keep these script short. The most important thing is that every Senators’ and Congressmembers’ phone be ringing off the hook all day, every day, until this freeze is lifted.

One more thing for those of us with Democratic lawmakers: It’s time to tell them to throw down. I’m feeling a growing sense of frustration with their docile response to Trump’s lawlessness, and I know I’m not alone. They need to hear it from all us. As constituents we have more power than anyone to push them into a more aggressive stance. So let’s make sure we do so.

I know this is hard, friends, but remember, Trump is overreaching. A lot. He is wildly overestimating the country’s support for him—it’s classic hubris. Remember, only a third of the country voted for him, and of that third a large amount did so solely because they thought he would lower their everyday expenses. Very few Trump supporters signed up for what’s happening right now. He’s overplaying his hand. It’s awful, and terrifying, and real people will suffer.

But this will eventually make it easier to defeat him.

So stay steady. Breathe. Help who you can. Make sure everyone you talk to is reminded that Trump is doing this to enrich himself and his billionaire cronies. This cruelty, the abhorrent stinginess, the sudden withdrawal of care for the neediest here and worldwide? It’s all. To pay. For tax cuts.

Don’t let anyone forget it for a second. 

Let’s get to work.

P.S. — Please forgive any typos. This newsletter was a doozy and I was trying to get it out fast.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, I’m horrified at Trump’s mass purge of Inspectors General on Friday night. It’s in violation of the Inspectors General Act of 1978. It can’t be allowed. I’m also horrified by last night’s purge of DOJ officials who investigated January 6. Donald Trump has broken his promise to de-weaponize the Department of Justice. His first moves have been to punish people that he is in opposition to. Is this the sort of behavior the Senator swore an oath to protect? If not s/he needs to push back aggressively—now. 

I also want to comment on Trump’s lawless, destructive, and cruel funding freeze. It violates the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The money he’s trying to withhold—which is for everything from child care, to housing, to police officers, to opioid addiction treatment, to disaster relief, to foreign aid, and more — has already been appropriated. The administration doesn’t have the authority to prevent its expenditure. The Supreme Court has affirmed this. We have separation of powers for a reason. We don’t live in an autocracy. Tell him no. Thanks.

[If Democrat add:] Democrats need to play hardball. Please announce an immediate boycott of all nominations and legislation until federal funding is restored.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I’m calling about Trump’s lawless, destructive, and cruel freezing of all federal grants and loans. This order violates the Impoundment Act of 1974, which created procedures to prevent a president from unilaterally substituting his or her own funding decisions for those of Congress. The money Trump is trying to withhold—which is for everything from child care, to housing, to police officers. to opioid addiction treatment, to disaster relief, to foreign aid, and more—has already been appropriated. The administration doesn’t have the authority to freeze it. Period. We have laws for a reason. We have separation of powers for a reason. We don’t live under a tyranny for a reason—because we fought a war to overthrow it. Tell him hell no. Thanks. 

[If Democrat add:] Democrats need to play hardball. Please announce an immediate boycott of all nominations and legislation until federal funding is restored."

In-person Town Hall with Congressman Huffman on 1/28

We wanted to be sure you saw the announcement from Congressman Huffman regarding his upcoming town hall on Tuesday, January 28 from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm at Dominican University in San Rafael. 

From his office:

"Rep. Huffman will provide an update from Washington D.C., share plans as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, discuss the new Trump Administration, and take questions from participants. Guests can also listen to the town hall on Penguin Radio (details below).

When: Tuesday, January 28th

Time: 4:30 pm (PDT) - 5:30 pm (PDT)

Where: 

• In-Person with RSVP: Angelico Hall, Dominican University, 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901. RSVP here. Priority will be given to constituents of California’s Second District on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking: Conlan Center lot at 1475 Grand Avenue (see map below).

• Virtual (no RSVP required): Penguin Radio (listen at 102.3 FM or online).

*Note: Rep. Huffman is holding a series of town halls throughout the district throughout the year.

If you would like to attend in-person, RSVP by Friday, January 24th at 5 PM. Please click here to RSVP. Guests will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee admittance. Large bags or backpacks and signs will not be permitted in the venue. Please contact Huffman.Response@mail.house.gov if you need translation assistance.

If you have questions please contact the San Rafael office at (415) 258-9657."

On this dark day, take an action of defiance!

Today is a dark and painful day. A joint session of Congress is convening now to certify Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. As is proper per our Constitution, Democrats will not challenge the counting of the Electoral College votes, as Trump and his vicious mob did four years ago.

Today, and in many coming days, our role can and should be one of defiance. Unlike the billionaire CEOs and much of the mainstream media, we will not obey in advance, nor at all, with the dangerous agenda of the incoming Administration. We will do the opposite.

Please call your Senators today to ask them to do everything in their power to oppose and thwart the confirmation of the four most dangerous nominees for Cabinet positions. Express to your Senators your dissatisfaction with the nominations of Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, and Robert Kennedy and ask them to take all steps in their power to block these profoundly dangerous nominations whether they have an opportunity to vote on them or not. (Feel free to add names to this short list as desired.)

Use this link to look up the contact info for your Senators.

Thank you for making your voice heard and encouraging your elected representatives to take action to mitigate against future harm by the incoming Administration.

The power of compassionate people (YOU) in the new year

Today, as we begin this new year which brings much uncertainly and anxiety, we are reflecting on all the goodness and love in our world that will serve as a crucial counteraction to the harms soon to be caused by the incoming administration. Our New Years resolution, which we hope you will join us in making, is to do as much as possible to prevent harm. 

We are so very grateful to all of you for your many positive actions since we began our work together in 2017, and are grateful in the knowledge that you will continue to be a powerful force for good in the new year.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy new year! 💙

~ The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Andie, Nanda, Joy, Betty, Laurie, Betsy, and Joy

Year-end message: "Election Reflections and Next Steps"

Thanks to the many of you who joined us for our year-end meeting on Sunday, "Election Reflections and Next Steps." It was wonderful to be together, to reflect on all that we accomplished together, in spite of the disappointments, and to share some inspiration and resolve for our work together in the coming year and beyond.

We're sharing below a link to the recording of the meeting, as well as to the slides, for those who missed it, or who want to rewatch or share with friends. We hope you will consider doing so. Our electoral advisor, Laurie Friedman, offered a thorough and nuanced perspective on the election results. She challenges, with supporting data, the erroneous yet widespread narrative that Trump won in a landslide or has a mandate. Laurie explains why that narrative is false and we must help refute it.

Link to recording - Link to slides

We also shared several very short yet inspiring videos to exemplify how we, as individuals and as a community, can and will pick ourselves back up and continue to urgently fight to protect our democracy and freedoms. We closed the presentation with Amanda Gorman's exquisite poem with her breathtaking delivery. Many of you requested these inspiration links as well. 

- Inspiring woman track competitor video (turn sound on)
- Inspiring reaction of football player and his team after fumble (turn sound on)
- Amanda Gorman - "New Day's Lyric"

At the meeting, we also talked about our planning process for action in 2025. While much is still TBD, we are considering the following short list of ideas for our primary areas of focus. HOWEVER, we want to hear from YOU, our members, before finalizing plans for the coming year. Please be on the look-out for a survey coming your way via email in mid-January which we hope you will take the time to complete.

Finally, we want to leave you with Vice President Kamala Harris' inspiring remarks made yesterday to young community leaders in Maryland. In part, she said, “Folks have said to me that they’re not sure whether they have the strength, much less the desire, to stay in the fight,” she said. “But let me be very clear: no one can walk away. No one can walk away. We must stay in the fight, every one of us.”....“In moments like this, the true test of our character is how resilient and persistent we are to pursue the future that we all can see,” she said. “Do we throw up our hands, or do we roll up our sleeves?”

Well, we at IndiMarin intend to roll up our sleeves. We hope you'll be joining us in the fight!

Sending our very best wishes to you and your loved ones for the holidays!

With gratitude for all you do for our country,
The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Laurie, Betsy, Joy, Andie, Betty and Nanda

Extra credit: Call your Senators this week on key issues this session

Thanks to those of you who called the White House earlier this week!

We typically won't send more than one advocacy-related email in a week, but this month is a particularly crucial time for calls to Congress and the White House before the current terms end. So consider this request extra credit and call if you have the bandwidth.

Use this link to look up the contact info for your Senators.  Then, place one call and cover any or all of the asks below.

1) Express to your Senators your dissatisfaction with the nominations of Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, and Robert Kennedy and ask them to take all steps in their power to block these profoundly dangerous nominations whether they have an opportunity to vote on them or not. (Feel free to add names to this short list as desired.)

2) Tell your senators that you expect them to oppose H.R. 9495 and speak out against its inclusion in any must pass legislation.
On 11/21, the House passed H.R. 9495, a bill that would give the incoming Trump administration unchecked power to target any non-profit organization that stands in the way of their MAGA agenda. Now, the bill is going to the Senate for consideration. 

3) Help protect migrants in the U.S. by asking your Senators to actively support the request of President Biden by Senators Padilla, Lujan and Cortez Masto to designate, redesignate, and extend Temporary Protected Status for eligible countries, and protect deferred action recipients via expedited processing and expansion of legal pathways.

Thank you for making your voice heard and encouraging your elected representatives to take action to mitigate against future harm by the incoming Administration.

~ The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Betsy, Laurie, Andie, Joy, Nanda and Betty

WHO WE ARE

Indivisible Marin is a community of nearly 10,000 volunteers around the country committed to taking action to create a more just, caring and inclusive America. Many of our events and actions are virtual and we welcome volunteers from all locations! In off-election years, we focus on advocacy with elected officials and other influential leaders to promote a government that functions by and for the people. In election years, we focus on helping elect Democrats to both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House. At IndiMarin, we are committed to offering personalized support to both new and experienced volunteers and to building a fun spirit of community.

If you wish to receive these email newsletters, please visit our website to learn more and get involved and please join us to be added to our mailing list and kept apprised of ways to take action toward our mission!  You can also email us with any questions at info@indivisiblemarin.org.

Tick tock: Call the White House this week with 3 key asks!

The clock is ticking loudly on the Biden Harris' remaining time in office and important actions by this Administration are crucial to prevent/slow harm by the incoming Administration.

This action takes 5 minutes or less! Let's get the White House phones ringing off the hook with the following three priority asks of President Biden and his team. ☎️ ☎️ ☎️

The White House Phone Number - 202- 456-1111 (typical wait times is under 5 minutes and you will be apprised of your place in queue)
Hours - Pacific time - 8am - 12pm PT - Eastern time - 11am - 3pm ET
Days - Tuesday-Thursday 

We have confirmed that you can leave three asks with one phone call and each will be tallied separately.

Ask #1 - Ask the President to order the FBI to being background checks on Trump nominees immediately
Ask #2 - Support the publication of the ERA in the National Archives
Ask #3 - Help protect immigrants at risk

Script: I am an American citizen calling from (state) with three urgent requests of President Biden and his Administration:
1) Please order the FBI to begin background checks into President-elect Trump’s nominees immediately and work to expedite the clearance process for the most sensitive jobs overseeing the State Department, Defense Department, Health and Human Services, and all national intelligence appointments including the CIA, FBI and Homeland Security; 2) please give notice to the National Archivist to formally publish and certify the ERA as the 28th Amendment; and 3) Take the actions requested by Senators Padilla, Lujan and Cortez Masto and designate, redesignate, and extend Temporary Protected Status for eligible countries, and protect deferred action recipients via expedited processing and expansion of legal pathways.
I appreciate having all three of these important asks be noted for the President's urgent attention! Thank you.

Background on Ask #1 - Ask for FBI background checks on Trump nominees immediately. 
This one is obvious on its face.

Background on Ask #2 - Support the publication of the ERA in the National Archives
Indivisible has joined the “Biden Publish the ERA” alliance, a coalition of organizations and medical associations urging President Biden to enshrine gender equality into our Constitution by publishing the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA has cleared the threshold for ratification, but it’s been held up because of GOP opposition and legal debates. By publishing the ERA, the Biden-Harris Administration can put guardrails on the incoming Trump Administration and provide a critical tool for combating discrimination against women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people nationwide.

Background on Ask #3 - Help protect immigrants at risk
Three Latino Democratic Senators, including California's Senator, Alex Padilla, Cortez Masto (D-NV), Lujan (D-NM) are calling on the Biden administration have sent letter that calls on President Biden to “act decisively,” to help protect Dreamers and TPS holders during President Biden’s remaining weeks in office. Let's elevate this important ask of these leading Senators!

Wasn't that easy? Thanks for taking action!

The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Laurie, Betsy, Betty, Andie, Joy and Nanda

WHO WE ARE

Indivisible Marin is a community of nearly 10,000 volunteers around the country committed to taking action to create a more just, caring and inclusive America. Many of our events and actions are virtual and we welcome volunteers from all locations! In off-election years, we focus on advocacy with elected officials and other influential leaders to promote a government that functions by and for the people. In election years, we focus on helping elect Democrats to both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House. At IndiMarin, we are committed to offering personalized support to both new and experienced volunteers and to building a fun spirit of community.

If you wish to receive these email newsletters, please visit our website to learn more and get involved and please join us to be added to our mailing list and kept apprised of ways to take action toward our mission!  You can also email us with any questions at info@indivisiblemarin.org.

Sign up for our 12/15 All-Member Virtual Meeting!

While many volunteers, ourselves included, needed some time to rest and regroup after the disappointment of the election, we are already hearing from our members that they're ready to get to work. And that's exactly what we're doing! "We the People" at IndiMarin are in this for the long game

In that spirit, we hope you will join our Leadership Team on Sunday, December 15, at 4pm PT/7pm ET via Zoom for an all-member meeting, "Election Reflections and Next Steps." Sign up here.

We'll gather to reflect on and applaud on all that we accomplished together in 2024. We'll provide specifics about the races on which we worked and the results. We'll also talk about IndiMarin's initial thinking about next steps. The specifics are still a work-in-progress and will remain so for another couple of months as we monitor developments with the incoming Administration and new Congress. But we DO know that we will continue to work toward our ongoing mission: "Taking action to help build a more just, caring and inclusive America." At the meeting, we will share with you our early thoughts on the next phase of our work together.

One thing is perfectly clear - we have power when we act collectively and in community.

We hope to see you on the 12/15 and look forward to working with you in the ongoing fight to protect America's democracy and personal freedoms. Sign up here.

For inspiration and activism ideas, we highly recommend watching the recording of Indivisible National's meeting, "Worth Fighting For: Indivisible’s Strategy for Fighting Trump 2.0." Their updated 30-page Indivisible Guide also covers this same material and is a great resource.

A very sweet victory - Adam Gray wins in CA-13!

Hello wonderful IndiMarin members!

It has been nearly one month since election day - and it has been a very hard month indeed.

However, yesterday we had a huge and welcome ray of sunshine! After four weeks of counting and curing ballots, the final House race, CA-13 was called for Democrat Adam Gray by 187 votes. This important win caps a strong election year in California, and strengthens Democrats' position in the House.

Close races are won by the margin of effort and California had one of the greatest volunteer voter outreach efforts in history, rising to the daunting challenge of six toss-up race campaigns. Together with other energized and organized CA-based groups, IndiMarin volunteers knocked on doors, registered voters, sent texts and postcards, and made phone calls. We worked in districts up and down the state - from the Central Valley to Orange County. These were complex conversations about the cost of living, our border, health care access, and jobs but voters responded. We also and importantly donated to candidates and groups working on the ground in these districts. (See highlights below.) Whether you are a CA-based volunteer or helped us from another state, these wins belong to you.

CA-13 joins two other CA districts that were rated tossups this year and flipped by Democrats. These three wins, plus a critical Democratic hold in CA-47 and additional flips in NY-19 and OR-05 , narrowed the House GOP majority to an unmanageable three seats. However, until special elections are held later this year to fill vacancies created by three Republicans moving to positions with the Trump administration, the House count is 215 Ds and just 217 Rs. House Republicans cannot pass legislation if they lose even a single vote during this period, creating an obstacle to the Trump agenda.

A year ago, we recognized that the road to the House could be through California, and it was! A statewide coalition including IndiMarin built a volunteer and financial advantage that now has us in a strong strategic position to take back the House in 2026, when the midterms will favor the minority party. Until then, we can put maximum pressure on House Republicans, who have shown no ability to navigate close majorities.

California won four of six target races and made gains in others, bringing an historically large Democratic California delegation to Washington and defying national trends in a difficult year. Our volunteers never wavered from their work here, despite our collective commitment to the Presidential and Senate battlegrounds.

Your time, energy, hard work, and financial support made every difference in these races and will send four talented new representatives to Congress who are committed to supporting California communities and protecting democracy. In addition, you helped our volunteer network become more powerful.. We will be ready again in 2026 to defend these seats and win the House! Thank you!

~ The Indivisible Marin Steering Committee - Laurie, Betsy, Susan, Joy, Andie, Nanda and Betty

Highlights:

• Our Act Blue fundraising campaign raised money for Adam Gray and Dave Min, and supported voter outreach efforts in CA by Activate America, the CA Democratic Party, and the Bay Area Coalition’s canvassing program in CA-13 and CA-22.

• Our canvassers registered voters in CA-13 as well as campaigned for Adam on multiple trips to the Central Valley,

• Our phonebanking team called for Adam early in the year.  

• We sent postcards to most CA districts but made our largest effort in CA-13 for Adam and CA-47 for Dave.
  

announcing our 12/15 All-Member Virtual Meeting!

As we approach Thanksgiving, we want to THANK YOU for being such amazing warriors for democracy! For every phone call, door knock, postcard, text and donation that you made, THANK YOU! Although we didn’t achieve the victory for which we had dearly hoped, the results would have been far worse without our intensive efforts. 

Despite our loss at the top of the ticket, we prevented the Republican House majority from increasing, putting us in a strong position to reclaim control in the midterms when the President's party traditionally struggles. We also retained control of half of the Senate seats targeted by Republicans, creating a tight margin for the incoming Republican majority, and saw minimal change of party control in down ballot elections. We deserve to feel proud of our efforts and know that they will make a positive difference in the lives of Americans.

While many volunteers, ourselves included, needed some time to rest and regroup after the disappointment of the election, we are already hearing from our members that they're ready to get to work. And that's exactly what we're doing! "We the People" at IndiMarin are in this for the long game.

In that spirit, we hope you will join our Leadership Team on Sunday, December 15, at 4pm PT/7pm ET via Zoom for an all-member meeting, "Election Reflections and Next Steps." Sign up here.

We'll gather to reflect on and applaud on all that we accomplished together in 2024. We'll provide specifics about the races on which we worked and the results. We'll also talk about IndiMarin's initial thinking about next steps. The specifics are still a work-in-progress and will remain so for another couple of months as we monitor developments with the incoming Administration and new Congress. But we DO know that we will continue to work toward our ongoing mission: "Taking action to help build a more just, caring and inclusive America." At the meeting, we will share with you our early thoughts on the next phase of our work together.

One thing is perfectly clear - we have power when we act collectively and in community.

We hope to see you on the 12/15 and look forward to working with you in the ongoing fight to protect America's democracy and personal freedoms. Sign up here.

The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Laurie, Betsy, Nanda, Betty, Joy and Andie

PS: For inspiration and activism ideas, we highly recommend watching the recording of Indivisible National's meeting, "Worth Fighting For: Indivisible’s Strategy for Fighting Trump 2.0." Their updated 30-page Indivisible Guide also covers this same material and is a great resource.

Five Days Left – Help Cure Ballots in Two Close CA House Races!

Let's help Adam Gray and Derek Tran cross the finish line and make it harder for Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to get any GOP-led legislation passed through his chamber!

Two California U.S. House races are soooooo close. As of yesterday:

• Adam Gray (CA-13, in the Central Valley) was down by only 227 votes! Help us cure ballots to close that gap. 

• Derek Tran (CA 45, straddling LA and Orange Counties) was ahead by 314 votes – let’s keep it that way by curing ballots for a stronger winning margin. 

Adam and Derek can lock in wins if we work to “cure” ballots. That means talking to voters whose ballots will be rejected due to technical problems, including missing signatures. We help them correct the problem so their ballot will be counted.

Make Calls To Cure Ballots for Adam and Derek

• Adam Gray (Thursday - Sunday - multiple shifts each day): Click here to sign up.

• Derek Tran (Thursday and Friday - 6 - 8 pm PT: Click here to sign up.

Thanks for all you continue to do to help protect our democracy and our freedoms!

Your calls to Congress moved the needle on HR 9495

We wrote you twice over the last week asking you to call your Congressperson to ask that they vote NO on a terrible bill, HR9495, which would grant Donald Trump unilateral power to investigate and effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization based on an accusation of wrongdoing. The legislation is opposed by over 130 groups, including ACLU, Brennan Center, Planned Parenthood, Public Citizen, AFT, NEA, LCV, CAP, Indivisible, NAACP, Reproductive Freedom for All, and National Women’s Law Center. See letter here.

We heard from MANY of you that you made these calls (THANK YOU!) and we want to send a positive update today.

While the bill did pass today, 219-184, calls from constituents led 39 more House members to vote NO. There was only 15 Dem defections compared to 52 last week. Per the ACLU, "Offices definitely felt the pressure and while we lost the vote I think we’ve won the larger battle in that this is now seen as partisan/controversial enough that it’s not going to be very easy to move in the Senate before the end of the year. We really appreciate all the work everyone put in and we’ve made quite a bit of progress on this since the first vote where only 11 members voted no."

See the list below for the remaining Dems who still voted YES, and, importantly, the list of Dems who switched their vote from YES to NO. If your representative is on the list of those who flipped, calls to thank them help build our relationships further for additional advocacy down the road AND is just a nice thing to do:)

15 Dems who voted yes:
Allred (TX-32): 202 225 2231
Caraveo (CO-08): (202) 225-5625
Case (HI-01): (202) 225-2726
Cuellar (TX-28): (202) 225-1640
Foushee (NC-04): (202) 225-1784
Golden (ME-02): (202) 225-6306
Gonzalez (TX-34): (202) 225-2531
Lee (NV-03): (202) 225-3252
Moskowitz (FL-23): (202) 225-3001
Panetta (CA-19): (202) 225-2861
Perez (WA-03): (202) 225-3536
Schneider (IL-10): (202) 225-4835
Suozzi (NY-03): (202) 225-3335
Torres (CA-35): (202) 225-6161
Wasserman Schultz (FL-25): (202) 225-7931

34 flips who should get a thank you:
Budzinski (IL-13): (202) 225-5271
Castor (FL-14): (202) 225-3376
Costa (CA-21): (202) 225-3341
Craig (MN-02): (202) 225-2271
Davids (KS-03): (202) 225-2865
Dingell (MI-06): (202) 225-4071
Harder (CA-09): (202) 225-4540
Hayes (CT-05): 202) 225-4476
Hoyer (MD-05): (202) 225-4131
Kaptur (OH-09): (202) 225-4146
Landsman (OH-01): (202) 225-2216
Levin (CA-49): (202) 225-3906
Manning (NC-06): (202) 225-3065
McBath (GA-07): (202) 225-4272
Meng (NY-06): (202) 225-2601
Moore (WI-04): (202) 225-4572
Mrvan (IN-01): (202) 225-2461
Norcross (NJ-01): (202) 225-6501
Pallone (NJ-06): (202) 225-4671
Pappas (NH-01): (202) 225-5456
Ryan (NY-18): (202) 225-5441
Schiff (CA-30): (202) 225-4176
Scholten (MI-03): (202) 225-3831
Schrier (WA-08): (202) 225-7761
Sherman (CA-32): (202) 225-5911
Slotkin (MI-07): (202) 225-4872
Sorensen (IL-17): ((202) 225-5905
Stanton (AZ-04): (202) 225-9888
Stevens (MI-11): ((202) 225-8171
Strickland (WA-10): (202) 225-9740
Sykes (OH-13): (202) 225-6265
Thanedar (MI-13): (202) 225-2261
Vargas (CA-52): (202) 225-8045
Vasquez (NM-02): (202) 225-2365

Thanks for your ongoing work to help protect our democracy and our freedoms!

MORE calls to your Congressperson TODAY to oppose HR 9495!

Last week we wrote you and asked that you call your congressperson and ask them to oppose HR 9495. This terrible bill would grant Donald Trump unilateral power to investigate and effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization based on an accusation of wrongdoing. The legislation is opposed by over 130 groups, including ACLU, Brennan Center, Planned Parenthood, Public Citizen, AFT, NEA, LCV, CAP, Indivisible, NAACP, Reproductive Freedom for All, and National Women’s Law Center. See letter here.

Calls are still needed TODAY. See details below.

FAQ:

Why is this bill being voted on again?
Per the ACLU, the GOP first tried to move on "suspension" which is a fast track procedure that requires a 2/3 vote. The bill was defeated but now the GOP has re-introduced it through regular order which is decided through majority vote. The vote will likely be Wednesday (though there’s a chance it could be Thursday). Monday is the House Rules Committee vote which is the precursor to being able to go to the floor.

Why did so many Dems vote in support of the bill the last time?
52 Democrats voted with the Republicans. Their reasoning is unclear at this point. It appears that the bill is masquerading as an anti-terror bill. While the bill would allow for a nonprofit that directly supports a terrorist organization such as Hamas to be dissolved as a nonprofit entity in the United States, the reality is that it will also give the incoming Trump administration the power to dissolve any domestic nonprofit that they do not like or that criticizes the administration, including groups such as Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, Indivisible, the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence and numerous other organizations doing important and consequential work to help and support American citizens here in the United States. The concern is that this bill will be used by the Trump Administration to silence domestic disapproval and is a direct attack on the First Amendment.

How can I take action to stop this bill?
Driving constituent calls to ALL members of Congress is the most impactful form of lobbying. Please check this list to see how your Representative in Congress voted. There are filters to sort by state/party/vote. If your Representative voted in favor of the bill last week, please call their office ASAP.

Call (202) 224-3121 to reach the Congressional switchboard and ask to speak to your representative.

Possible script or use your own words:
“My name is ______ and I live in ______, STATE.

I’m calling to express my disappointment in Congressperson ___________'s  YES vote last week on H.R. 9495 and to ask that they change their vote when it comes up again this week to NO. While masquerading as an anti-terror bill, it would allow the Treasury Secretary to strip domestic non-profit organizations of their tax-exempt status without due process — it would stifle dissent and the political speech of non-profits. Thank you for your time.”

Thanks for taking action to protect our democracy and our freedoms!

The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Betsy, Laurie, Joy, Andie, Nanda and Betty

WHO WE ARE

Indivisible Marin is a community of over 10,000 volunteers around the country committed to taking action to create a more just, caring and inclusive America. Many of our events and actions are virtual and we welcome volunteers from all locations! In off-election years, we focus on advocacy with elected officials and other influential leaders to promote a government that functions by and for the people. In election years, we focus on helping elect Democrats to both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House. At IndiMarin, we are committed to offering personalized support to both new and experienced volunteers and to building a fun spirit of community.

If this email has been forwarded to you, please visit our website to learn more and get involved and please join us to be added to our mailing list and kept apprised of ways to take action toward our mission! You can also email us with any questions at info@indivisiblemarin.org.

Calling all Californians - Call Senator-elect Schiff and ask him to oppose HR 9495

Hello IndiMarin Volunteers in CA!

Last week we wrote you and asked that you call your congressperson and ask them to oppose HR 9495. This terrible bill would grant Donald Trump unilateral power to investigate and effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization based on an accusation of wrongdoing. The legislation is opposed by over 130 groups, including ACLU, Brennan Center, Planned Parenthood, Public Citizen, AFT, NEA, LCV, CAP, Indivisible, NAACP, Reproductive Freedom for All, and National Women’s Law Center. See letter here.

Calls are still needed TODAY. See details below.

FAQ:
Why is this bill being voted on again?
Per the ACLU, the GOP first tried to move on "suspension" which is a fast track procedure that requires a 2/3 vote. The bill was defeated but now the GOP has re-introduced it through regular order which is decided through majority vote. The vote will likely be Wednesday (though there’s a chance it could be Thursday). Monday is the House Rules Committee vote which is the precursor to being able to go to the floor.

Why did so many Dems vote in support of the bill the last time?
52 Democrats voted with the Republicans including 8 in California: Reps. Costa, Harder Levin, Panetta, Schiff, Sherman, Torres and Vargas. You can see the full list at this link. There are filters to sort by state/party/vote.

Their reasoning is unclear at this point. It appears that the bill is masquerading as an anti-terror bill. While the bill would allow for a nonprofit that directly supports a terrorist organization such as Hamas to be dissolved as a nonprofit entity in the United States, the reality is that it will also give the incoming Trump administration the power to dissolve any domestic nonprofit that they do not like or that criticizes the administration, including groups such as Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, Indivisible, the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence and numerous other organizations doing important and consequential work to help and support American citizens here in the United States. The concern is that this bill will be used by the Trump Administration to silence domestic disapproval and is a direct attack on the First Amendment.

How can I take action to stop this bill?
Driving constituent calls to these reps' offices is the most important form of lobbying. If you live in the congressional district of any of the CA members listed above, please call their office. We are encouraging ALL Californians, as soon-to-be constituents of Senator-elect Schiff to call his office.

All Californians -
Call Senator-elect Schiff's current office at (202) 225-4176 or (818) 450-2900.

Possible script or use your own words:
“My name is ______ and I live in ______, STATE.

As one of the future constituents of Senator-elect Schiff, I’m calling to express my disappointment in his YES vote last week on H.R. 9495 and to ask that him to change his vote when it comes up again this week to NO. While masquerading as an anti-terror bill, it would allow the Treasury Secretary to strip domestic non-profit organizations of their tax-exempt status without due process — it would stifle dissent and the political speech of non-profits. Please oppose this bill and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Thank you for your time.”

For constituents of all the others listed above OR if you volunteered to help elect them.
Call (202) 224-3121 to reach the Congressional switchboard and ask to speak to your representative. Once you’re connected, here’s what you could say:

Possible script or use your own words:
“My name is ______ and I live in ______, STATE.

I’m calling to express my disappointment in Congressman ___________'s  YES vote last week on H.R. 9495 and to ask that they change their vote when it comes up again this week to NO. While masquerading as an anti-terror bill, it would allow the Treasury Secretary to strip domestic non-profit organizations of their tax-exempt status without due process — it would stifle dissent and the political speech of non-profits. Please oppose this bill and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Thank you for your time.”

Thanks for taking action to protect our democracy and our freedoms!

The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Betsy, Laurie, Joy, Andie, Nanda and Betty

Two Important Actions to Take

As we've often said over the years of our work together, "Action is the antidote to anxiety." In that spirit, we are sending you two easy actions to take today. While the results of the election were a huge disappointment, our work together continues. Our mission remains the same - taking action to help build a more just, caring and inclusive America. 

We’ve still got the White House and the Senate for another couple months and there are ways that we can urgently take action, while we still have that legislative power, to safeguard our democracy.

1) CALL your Senators and ask them to confirm every single judge we can before Trump takes office. 

The Senate can, and should work around the clock in these final weeks to confirm the 29 pending nominations before them, or Trump gets to fill those vacancies with MAGA sycophants who will rubber-stamp his agenda. If the Senate acts now, these judges will be on the bench before Trump enters office. And because these are lifetime appointments, they will be there long after Trump is gone.

Congress reconvened this week its final session before we lose our Senate majority. Tell your senators to stay in Washington and work the long hours required to confirm these judges and help protect our democracy. Tell them that you expect them to spend the final session confirming as many judges as possible before Republicans take control of the Senate. Let them know that you're counting on them to do whatever they can to protect our democracy. You can look up your Senators' contact info here.

2) Call your Congressperson and ask them to oppose HR 9495

This bill would grant Donald Trump unilateral power to investigate and effectively shut down any tax-exempt organization based on an accusation of wrongdoing- a vote will be taken on Monday. The legislation is opposed by over 130 groups, including ACLU, Brennan Center, Planned Parenthood, Public Citizen, AFT, NEA, LCV, CAP, Indivisible, NAACP, Reproductive Freedom for All, and National Women’s Law Center. See letter here.

A second vote on HR 9495 will take place on Monday, this time only requiring a simple majority. A first vote took place on 11/12 and did not pass thanks to the opposition of many pro-democracy groups. It's important to push for more "no" votes this time in order to also shore up more opposition in the Senate. Here is a list of how Members of Congress voted in the first round.

Tell your representative to oppose this bill and protect non-profits from vengeful presidential administrations.

Call (202) 224-3121 to reach Congress and ask to speak to your representative. Once you’re connected, here’s what you could say:

“My name is ______ and I live in ______, STATE.

I’m calling because I’m concerned about H.R. 9495. This bill would allow the Treasury Secretary to strip non-profit organizations of their tax-exempt status without due process — it would stifle dissent and the political speech of non-profits. 

Please oppose this bill and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Thank you for your time.”

Thank you for taking action in this difficult time!

Reflections + We still have a chance to win the House - Ballot curing opportunities

Hello wonderful IndMarin volunteers,

On this somber Veterans Day, we reflect and offer gratitude to all members of the Armed Forces, past and present, who have sacrificed so greatly to protect our country's people, freedoms and democracy. We are also grateful to all of those, including so many of you, who have served our country from home via volunteerism. Service to our country comes in many forms and we honor all those who have served in ways big and small.

The Path Forward:
Presently, we at IndiMarin are beginning the process of digesting the disappointment and takeaways of the election results, and evaluating both the near-term and longer-term actions to counteract potential harms of the incoming Trump Administration. This process will take time and much collaboration with a range of partners. We will be in touch in coming weeks with plans for an all-member meeting before year-end to discuss next steps in our work together. Needless to say, we will continue the fight for our democracy, freedoms and the quality of life of all Americans.

Encouragement re all we DID accomplish:
In spite of the losses, our work together resulted in some very important victories in which we should take heart and be proud. See the article pasted in at the bottom of this newsletter for the details and important perspective. Thank YOU for being a key part of these victories.

Current and urgent work still needed:
As we regroup broadly, there is still work that urgently needs to be done. Ballots are still being counted and corrected or "cured." Curing is a process where a mail/dropbox ballot is rejected for a missing signature or other reasons, and volunteers then notify people and help them “cure” or fix the ballot so their votes count. This work is done both via canvassing and phonebanking.

This process is hugely important because it may help us win some of the very close House races. Having Democratic control of the House would be a hugely significant guardrail against the potential harms of the Trump Administration. Also, Bob Casey has not conceded the Senate race in Pennsylvania because it's close enough to turn on provisional ballots. If we can hold the Republican Senate advantage to 52 instead of 53, that small difference could make a large difference in which MAGA policies might successfully make it through that chamber.

Please review this linktree of ballot curing opportunities nationwide created by our partner, The Bay Area Coalition, and consider helping. While we are all dispirited, keeping control of the House, if at all doable, would be a game changer.

In closing, we are so grateful for the work you have all done, and the camaraderie and community that you have helped us create together. The work and the community will continue. Please know you can always reach out to us at info@indivisiblemarin.org.

More soon. Take good care of yourself and your loved ones in these difficult times.

The Indivisible Marin Steering Committee - Susan, Betsy, Joy, Andie, Nanda, Betsy and Laurie

Nov. 8, 2024, 3:41 p.m. ET  Nov. 8, 2024 - NYT

Jonathan Alter

Contributing Opinion Writer

Is Door-Knocking Dead? No, It Made One Big Difference.

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” Thomas Paine wrote in 1776. Today, that would include the souls of women, among many other despondent Harris-Walz supporters.

George Washington made sure Paine’s words in his pamphlet The American Crisis (a kind colonial Substack newsletter) were read aloud to his battered troops at Valley Forge before they crossed the Delaware and eventually won the Revolutionary War.

As battle-weary Kamala Harris volunteers consider whether to return to the fray after a major defeat or become mere “sunshine patriots,” they should take note, as Washington did, of smaller but highly significant victories.

A longtime rule of thumb in politics is that a superior get-out-the-vote operation does not guarantee a win but it’s usually worth a point or two in the final results. That continued to be true in 2024, where Harris’s ground game was much stronger than Donald Trump’s.

So why didn’t it produce better outcomes? Trump compensated with devastating advertising (especially on trans high school students playing girls’ sports) and effective messaging on podcasts and social media.

This worked against Harris but was less successful further down the ballot, thanks to Democratic volunteers. While overall turnout appears to be slightly lower than in 2020 (the totals aren’t in yet), it has been higher than average in battleground states, which led to smaller-than-average margins and shorter coattails there for Trump.

While Harris has lost or is losing in all the battleground states, her troops helped turn out ticket-splitters who saved Senator Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin, as well as other Democratic Senate candidates including Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, and, quite likely, Ruben Gallego in Arizona and Senator Jacky Rosen in Nevada — all by only a point or two.

Right now, it looks like the Senate will have 53 Republicans, a huge difference from a potential 57, which would have put Democrats in a deep, almost filibuster-proof hole.

So all the tapped-out donors, doorbell ringers, postcard senders and phone bank-sters need to know that without their efforts, the next decade would be much worse for the country, with Trumpist judges degrading the judiciary and reams of destructive bills passing the Senate.

With only four votes to spare (JD Vance will break any ties), Republicans now have less hope of a national abortion ban. They won’t have the support of Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and at least two or three other G.O.P. senators from red states that have approved abortion rights ballot initiatives.

The same will most likely go for gutting the civil service, abandoning NATO, confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a cabinet post or elevating Judge Aileen Cannon to the Supreme Court. Probably not enough Senate votes.

In a dispiriting quirk, the Senate map in 2026 offers little chance for a Democratic pickup of more than a couple of seats at best.

The 2028 election will bring hope of returned Democratic control. But it wouldn’t if Senate Republicans could now boast an eight-vote majority.

Yes, all that money and toil from Harris supporters didn’t help elect a Democratic president. But we owe those volunteers what Paine called our “love and thanks.” They helped democracy stay alive to fight another day."

The morning we feared and what comes next

Dearest IndiMarin friends,

We are pasting in below, in its entirety, an email from Billy Wimsatt, Executive Director of the Movement Voter Project, as it eloquently conveys what we wish to express to you in this moment. Thanks to Billy for bringing this messaging to all of us so early this morning.

Speaking for the leadership team at IndiMarin, please know that we will spend the coming days in communication and collaboration with a wide range of movement partners to assess and develop next steps. We will keep you informed as opportunities for engagement become more clear.

As Billy stresses in his email, the most important first step is for all of us to take care of ourselves and our loved ones in this difficult moment. Take the time you need to breathe, exercise, gather with loved ones, and reflect on the many positive aspects of your life for which you are grateful. Try to find some joy and comfort in each day. Take as much time as you need and want for this process.

For those of you who seek more information and community as part of your healing process, we recommend any or all of the meetings listed below, which are hosted by movement partners. Please do not feel any obligation or pressure to jump into meetings, but we list them for those who may find them a helpful outlet. As a movement, we don't expect to have any answers immediately regarding next steps, but by working together, constructive plans will unfold.

We hope you find some comfort in remembering that eight years ago, on an identical morning, we did not have each other. We were alone in our shock and disappointment. This morning, we have a broad coalition representing hundreds of thousands of engaged citizens. We will not give up. We will continue, with your help, the work we have been doing for eight years: Taking action to help build a more just, caring and inclusive America.

with love and gratitude,
The IndiMarin Steering Committee - Susan, Andie, Joy, Nanda, Betsy, Laurie and Betty
💙 ✊ 💙 ✊ 💙 ✊

Optional Movement Meetings this week:

Movement Voter Project - TODAY - Emergency Meeting at 3 PM ET/Noon PT - To assess what we know, what we don't know yet, and where we go from here. Sign up here.

Indivisible National - TODAY at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT - Post-Election call led by Indivisible co-founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin. During this call, they'll update us on what they know so far about the election results, answer questions directly from the audience, and outline what we need to do in the upcoming days. Sign up here.

Coalition of 100+ progressive organizations - TOMORROW at 8pm ET/5pm PT - "Making Meaning of the Moment." Sign up here.

Eloquent email from Billy Wimsatt of Movement Voter Project Beloved MVP friends (abridged somewhat):

Beloved MVP friends,

I am still in shock too.

I just reassured my crying children that everything is going to be OK. They don’t believe me. We just got our asses kicked last night. And now we’re about to enter the worst Presidency of our lifetimes.

I’m going to share some raw reflections below, but here is what we know for certain: Trump will try to move us backwards. We will do everything in our power to stop him.

Our #1 job now is to defend our communities, block Trump, win state-level progress, and build power to win Congress in 2026 and take back the Presidency in 2028. This work starts today.

Here are some things I am saying to comfort myself and others around me:

We have what it takes to meet this moment. We will strategize. We will adapt. Our elders and our ancestors have endured unthinkably difficult circumstances. We will draw on their strength and wisdom as we chart our course forward.

We will mount the largest resistance in history. We have resisted before. We did an excellent job of resisting in 2017 and we turned our determination into a mighty Blue Wave from 2017-2023. We can and will do that again. For the sake of everyone and everything we love. Maybe even better.

We will rebuild our political power. The 2026 midterm elections are coming. The midterm electorate under Trumpwas favorable in 2018 and we have a chance to rebuild our power and deliver a major rebuke.

He will overplay his hand. He will do lots of stupid and horrible things that mobilize our base and make people regret voting for him.

We have a lot to reflect on, and improve. This is the toughest situation ever. We need to be the best strategists, leaders, and friends we can be. We are enough.

We did everything we could. Maybe not every single thing. But collectively we did an incredible job. We were up against strong head winds. We will celebrate all we did and accomplished together. Wehave a lot to be proud of despite our loss.

Where do we go from here?

A few thoughts:

Be kind to yourself and comfort those around you. We are all feeling so many things: shocked, numb, heartsick, scared, angry, grieving. I haven’t even let myself feel my feelings yet. Many people around us may be even more scared, depressed, or worse. Please, whatever you do, be kind to yourselves and those around you in this time. Hug your loved ones tight. Check on your friends. Say out loud things you are grateful for every day. Do intentional things to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Reflection, not blame. Were there things that folks on our side could have done better and differently? Yes. But we are all in the same boat now. So let’s cultivate space for constructive reflection, learning, and strategy. There is always an impulse to blame someone. As cited above, the main reasons we lost are factors beyond anyone’s control. We must take care not to create a circular firing squad because…

We need each other now more than ever. At a meta level, our job in winning is to build a bigger and better coalition. This will require us to stretch ourselves, our hearts, and our comfort zones in new ways.

Let us be compassionate, joyful warriors for the world we want to see. I know… we’re not there yet. But it’s important to name the leadership archetype that we are striving to embody in the way that we show up as people and as leaders in this new period.

Our job now is to build the biggest, smartest, most beautiful movement the world has ever seen. What this will look like is ours to invent. Let us surprise ourselves with our courage, creativity, and humor. Yes, humor. Humor is one of the keys to defeating authoritarianism (which we will all be reading a lot about in the coming days :).

On behalf of the incredible MVP team, volunteers, and partners I am so grateful to be in this lifelong work with all of you.

Thank you – no, seriously THANK YOU – for everything you have invested in time and money this cycle. You showed up in an incredible way. Together, we supported the biggest independent ground game this country has ever seen. It wasn’t enough to win. But luckily, unlike the candidate campaigns, the work we funded won’t go away. We strengthened our grassroots movement. And we are going to need MVP’s hundreds of amazing partner organizations – local, state, and national – to be strong, now more than ever.

We will be checking in with our partners, supporting them, and strategizing with them about this next phase. Many of them will be facing intense new challenges – immigrant communities, women, poor and working class communities, young people, communities of color, Arab Americans, Muslims and Jews, and LGBTQ communities. At a meta-level, our job is to support and strengthen a big tent movement where we can see ourselves as part of a larger we – connected to each other toward a larger goal.

We invite you to join with MVP and our partners as we hold hands and build the largest, most unified movement possible. Right after every bad election, there is a surge of volunteerism and creativity. Let us harness our energy to build the world we want to create.

We need to reflect, strategize (be smarter than ever!), hold each other, and help each other become the best team of joyful warriors we can be to overcome this new challenge.

We are honored to be in this work for the long haul with you.

With deepest love, respect, and gratitude,

Billy Wimsatt, MVP Executive Director
(on behalf of the amazing MVP team, volunteers, and partners)

A day-by-day guide to this week

We’re in for a long day. Take care of yourself, drink plenty of water, and try not to anxiously sit in front of your TV while the pundits try to fill the hours before polls close. Instead, channel those emotions into making sure you’ve done all you can in the fight for our democracy -- encourage your friends to vote, knock doors, make calls; do everything you can to get out every last vote until those polls close. IWillVote.com is a good website to share with Democratic friends for all details re voting in all states. This election will be won on the margin of effort, and today’s the day we leave it all on the field.

This is also a long email. There is a lot to say and we want you to have as much comprehensive information as possible going into the next few days. Please at least skim this email in its entirety and glean from it the portions that are helpful and meaningful to you.

Some guidance, words of encouragement, and actions for the coming days:

TONIGHT:

Be emotionally prepared for results to take a few days. Maybe they won't, but no one knows for sure as it depends on how close the final results are.

The Harris/Walz campaign has laid out the following timeline as their best estimate of when results will come in:

• Early in the night: we expect to have most results from GA and NC. If these states are close, however, they may not be called until later.

• We also expect near-complete results from states like VA, FL, OH, and CO. While these results can be informative, we must be careful to not over-index on the results in any one state - states may not move together this year.

• By the end of the night: we expect near-complete results from GA and NC, and MI, and partial results from PA, WI and AZ.

• By Wednesday morning: we expect most results from WI, and additional results from PA and potentially MI.

• On Wednesday and beyond: we expect additional results from PA, AZ, and NV, as well as a small number of remaining ballots tabulated in states that have mostly reported already. 

• Some ballots will continue to be counted for many days: In several states, voters can cure ballots after Election Day. In NV, ballots can arrive until 11/9. And in PA, the state cannot begin to count provisional ballots until 11/8. The fact that new votes will continue to be reported for many days is expected, and not a sign of fraud.

Also, from the Harris Walz campaign: Don’t be surprised: Donald Trump is probably going to come out early on Election Night and claim victory despite the facts -- just like he did in 2020. It won’t work.

• Voting is safe and secure, and this will be a free and fair election.

• Trump will likely declare victory before the race is called – this shouldn’t be a surprise, because he wants to sow doubt about the electoral process.

• He did this in 2020 and it failed. If he does it again, it will fail.

• We will ensure that every eligible vote counts no matter what Trump does.\

• Trump is worried that he is going to lose this election so he’s ramping up baseless claims of election fraud and irregularities. It won’t work.

• Since voting began this year, we have won 20 lawsuits and we’re not stopping.

• After the polls closed in 2020, Democrats beat Trump’s claims in court more than 60 times.

• We have hundreds of lawyers across the battlegrounds working around the clock to protect the vote.

• We're also ready for what we expect to be an active post-election period. We are ready to address anything the Trump campaign throws at us.

In addition to the legal efforts of the Harris Campaign, a network of leading grassroots organizations, including Indivisible National, is already mobilized and prepared to respond immediately to any and all threats to a free and fair election. We will be keeping you posted on the grassroots mobilization efforts, as needed, in the coming days. 

Viewing guides to help you digest the data as the night unfolds:
Dan Pfeifer's "How to Watch Tonight's Results and Stay Somewhat Sane
NYT: When to Expect Election Results in Each State

TOMORROW:

• Ballot curing efforts will likely be needed tomorrow and throughout the week. Training is provided. We have created this linktree with a range of ballot curing options. Please consider volunteering. Remember that taking action is the antidote to anxiety! 

• Join Indivisible National at 5:30pm PT/8:30pmET for their Post-Election Call led by Indivisible co-founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin. During this call, they'll update us on what they know so far about the election results, answer questions directly from the audience, and outline what we need to do in the upcoming days. Click here to register for Indivisible National's Post-Election Call on Wednesday, November 6.

THE REST OF THE WEEK:

Ya'll, we may need to plan on working through Friday, at least. The way the votes are counted, unless we win in a blow out, we may not know the outcome until Friday or Saturday. Pace yourselves. It how our wonderful, complicated and historic democracy works. Prepare. Take care of yourself these next few days. Do more and worry less, but also keep exercising, eating right, etc. Steady yourself. We will still have a lot of work to do.

IN THE WORST CASE: 

We are cautiously optimistic that we will all be celebrating together very soon. A time to gather as a community will be announced when the time is right. HOWEVER, we would also like to stress, ahead of time and just in case, that we are in a much better position than we were in 2016, if Donald Trump somehow wins. Why? Because a HUGE movement of engaged citizens now exists to fight back against the worst of MAGA. Hundreds of thousands of citizens, LIKE YOU, are now engaged and view your involvement as a civic duty. AND we, the grassroots movement, are ORGANIZED. There are countless pro-democracy, pro-rights, pro-citizen organizations that now exist and are mobilized where in 2016 we were starting from scratch. 

THE FUTURE

Either way, the fight will continue. And IndiMarin will continue to keep our community informed, engaged, and mobilized. In off-election years, we focus on advocacy with elected officials and other influential leaders to promote a government that functions by and for the people. In the coming year and beyond, we will continue to help guide actions for our volunteers to fulfill our mission of building a more just, caring and inclusive America. IndiMarin is now 10,000 volunteers strong after doubling our numbers this year, with members from throughout the United States. We will continue to harness this power and energy for the greater good.

Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL for everything you have done this election cycle. You have truly left it all on the field and we couldn't be prouder to be working alongside each and every one of you.

We'll stay in touch every step of the way!

Late-deciding voters breaking toward Harris! Feet on on the gas, everyone!

If you need any more reasons to keep working hard for the next four days, here's a really BIG one!

From an article in Politico this afternoon:

"Harris campaign manager David Plouffe wrote Friday afternoon on X that late-deciding voters are “breaking by double digits” for the vice president, with “the remaining undecideds looking more friendly” to them than Donald Trump. His comments echo those shared by senior campaign officials earlier Friday on a call with reporters.

“We have believed all along that there were still undecided voters here, and that the close of this race was really, really important,” said one of the senior campaign officials, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the state of the race. “And we are seeing that be the case as we are closing out in the last week.”

The official said that a recent focus group with undecided voters in a battleground state showed that the racist, misogynistic and vulgar language at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally in New York over the weekend isn’t just impacting Puerto Rican and Latino voters, but undecided voters as a whole.

Breaking by double digits?? That's amazing news! So......as we wrote you on Tuesday, please review the categories below, pick your lane and drive like hell from now through the 5th.  We CAN win big with our collective foot on the gas for the next four days!

Lane 1 - You live in a battleground state or close to a toss-up House district.
Fabulous! Knocking on doors is a hugely impactful use of your time this week. Check this link to find a State Coordinated GOTV campaigns that would welcome your help! Training is provided.

Lane 2 - You are an experienced phonebanker and have been calling with Scale to Win.
Fabulous! We need your experienced efforts! IndiMarin's experienced Phone Team is hosting two phonebank sessions on each of the final five days - Friday through Tuesday. We will be calling for Harris/Walz and a key California House race. We'd love to pack these phonebanks with our experienced volunteers. There will be no training provided in these final GOTV phonebanks so that our mentors will also be free to make calls. All phonebankers must have experience calling for Kamala Harris and/or Rudy Salas. You must also be completely independent with the Scale to Win dialer and Zoom. IndiMarin mentors will be available to answer minor questions.
- Click here for the listing of times and to sign up for as many shifts as possible at our GOTV phonebanks.
- For experienced phonebankers who wish to call on their own schedule, visit our Linktree and scroll to the bottom to the section with links for calling on your own.

Lane 3 - You are new to phonebanking, OR have phonebanked in previous election cycles but have not used the current Scale to Win dialer.
Fabulous! We need everyone to help on the phones this week so thank you for being willing to try something new and have impact!
- Click here to get trained and make calls for Harris/Walz. Multiple shifts each day.  
- Click here to get trained to make calls for California House races and Harris/Walz. Days and times vary.

Lane 4 - You speak Spanish fluently or close to fluently.
Extra-fabulous! Wow! You are especially needed. Click here for a listing of phonebanking and texting options for Spanish speakers including for Harris/Walz, Pennsylvania and House races.

You are all awesome! Thank you for all you are doing to help our country and all Americans!

Ready, set, GO!