Join Us at our September Meeting with John Zogby!
John Zogby at IMV: Messages That Matter for the Midterms
Thursday, September 10th, 7:00–8:00 p.m. on Zoom
Did you know John Zogby grew up right here in the Mohawk Valley? For our September IMV meeting, we’ll hear from him—an international pollster and analyst—about which messages are resonating most with voters in the 2026 midterms. He’ll also share what he sees on the broader horizon for electoral politics and we'll have time for Q&A at the end.
Our canvassers at IMV’s Rome Campaign Kickoff on August 22. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Slate Cards Are Here!
IMV has slate cards available at the Rome Campaign Office, with NY22 slate cards coming soon to the Utica office. We’ll be launching more canvasses from these offices and other locations around Oneida County.
Experienced canvassers will show new volunteers how to use the MiniVAN app and how to help voters understand their ballot and election information.
Join the NYS Democrats Official Rome Office Opening Party
Now that staff are hired to keep the office open and the volunteers busy with turfs and tasks, the NYS Democrats Rome Campaign Office is celebrating its official opening. Show up and sign up to be part of the effort to turn out voters in the NY21 (Blake Gendebien) parts of Oneida County–including where Mandi Drake, Jon Lipe, Mike Brown, and Sheriff Rob Maciol are also on the ballot.
Thursday, September 3rd, 5-7 pm, 209 N. Washington Street, Rome.
Join the NYS Democrats to mark the official office opening and discover all of the ways to get involved by talking to voters. Blake Gendebien will be in the house! There will be refreshments and remarks by our local field organizer and several local candidates. RSVP here.
Rural Freedom Network POSTCARDS are On the Way
One of the main ways we will use your donations this fall is to pay for postage for postcards.
Our postcards this fall will come from Rural Freedom Network (RFN), an organization that has been working with progressive and Democratic organizations in Central and Western NY since 2017. They offer customized postcards for congressional races for free, and groups pay the postage. A month ago they sent us a dozen or so possible designs that we could use for voters in our region to persuade them to vote for Blake for NY21. We loved their designs, and selected one that we thought would resonate in rural parts of Oneida and Herkimer counties. Research shows that women voters are influenced by hand written postcards and men are not, so we send to women voters who are Democrats or unaffiliated.
We are going to need people to volunteer to host postcard writing parties at campaign offices, in their homes, or in places like libraries or other community spaces. You’ll be given the message template and address labels. We will be looking for donations of postcard stamps and monetary donations so we can get them all stamped.
This is how we reach voters who live in areas too rural for efficient door knocking!
5 Days Left to Get Your Donation to IMV Matched!
Indivisible’s matching fundraising campaign kicked off August 1 and goes through the end of the month. During the month of August, donations to IMV’s Act Blue account will be matched dollar to dollar up to $500. Go to our website donation button or click here to make a contribution. Thanks for all you do to support IMV!
Fundraiser for Mike Brown for County Clerk
Wednesday, September 9th, 6-8 pm, An Evening for Mike Brown. 1211 Kemble Street, Utica.
Join Democrats for Oneida County Clerk for an elegant evening in support of Mike Brown for County Clerk. Buy tickets at various levels here.
Join the National Action Network “Defend the Vote” with Rev. Al Sharpton for the March on Washington DC,
August 28th
If you are interested, there is a bus from Syracuse that will stop at 726 Washington Street, in Utica early in the morning of the 28th to get to DC by 9am. (Exact time to be determined.) It will return late that evening.
TIckets are free but you need to sign up here and let them know you are being picked up in Utica: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/syracuse-voters-right-bus-to-dc-tickets-1995407377180
For general information go to: https://nanhomepage.com/
Indivisible’s General Election Kickoff Call: What’s the Plan to Flip the House & Senate?
Next Wednesday, September 2, at 8 pm join Indivisible’s GENERAL ELECTION KICKOFF call featuring Ezra Levin to learn how YOU can be part of Indivisible’s plans to flip the House and Senate and hold this corrupt regime accountable. The last primary with Indivisible endorsement comes to a close next Tuesday, and our national organization is not wasting any time as it switches gears to organize to win Democratic majorities in Congress. Winning these races -- and protecting the results -- will take commitment from each and every one of us as we approach Election Day on November 3. This is a great call if you want to understand the wider context for the NY21 and NY22 races in which we’ll be involved–one where we are trying to flip a red seat in a pretty red district that is now in play and one where we must hold a blue seat in a purple district.
Curious About Canvassing?
Canvassing is one of the most effective ways to connect with voters because it creates a real, two-way conversation.
Watch From Outrage to Organizing to Power for a broader introduction to organizing and electoral work. The workshop covers campaign basics, voter psychology, and how activists build influence.
For a practical overview, watch Knocking on Doors: An Activist’s Guide to Canvassing. It explains what first-time canvassers can expect, the different roles volunteers can take, and basic canvassing best practices.
