Hi all -
Got a big invite for you today!
We’re hosting an organizing call this Wednesday, March 20th, from 8-9pm ET — I’ll be hopping on with along with some incredible members of our team to talk about our 2024 strategy and how you can get involved as a volunteer.
Volunteers matter - last week, volunteers joined a text-bank to do outreach to folks in Michigan to ask them to run for local election administrator roles (and literally be democracy defenders!). Within just a few hours, nearly 300 people said they’re interested! Prettttttty great.
That’s the kind of work you’re making happen. Between now through March 31st, a few generous supporters are matching every donation up to $100k — double your impact and give when it matters most. (Spoiler: That’s now!)
We’ve got 15 candidates on the ballot this week, because the elections just keep happening. Stay tuned for updates!
Some other RFS community news:
A major election from Super Tuesday has been called: Nithya Raman officially won re-election to the LA City Council - a huge victory over the big outside money against her.
Charleston (WV) City Councilmember Joe Solomon is fighting to stop the opioid addiction, making the powerful case that the city, which has the highest rate of overdoses, leads the state in “ghosts.”
AZ Rep. Analise Ortiz: “What I started to find was that I would go knock on doors to meet voters and they would answer the door and be like ‘Oh my God, I know you from TikTok.” Social media can be good!
Also in AZ: Sen. Priya Sundareshan is cosponsoring legislation to guarantee women the right to contraception.
NYC Councilmember Christopher Marte is introducing legislation to end 24-hour shifts for home care aides.
MS Rep. Fabian Nelson’s bill to expand access to NARCAN — an opioid reversal drug — has passed through the state house.
IL Rep. Bob Morgan is introducing legislation to mandate upfront disclosures of the total price of goods and services, ending junk fees and increasing transparency.
In TN, Republicans refused to hear a bill shifting House sexual harassment investigations to a third party explicitly because RFS alum Rep. Aftyn Behn is cosponsoring it.
Allie Phillips, state house candidate in TN, is spot-on.
RFS alum across the country — including UT Sen. Nate Blouin and VA Del. Phil Hernandez — are pushing legislation to build out the power grid in order to supercharge clean energy projects.
Ann Arbor City Councilmember Travis Radina is bringing up an ordinance to ban waitlist fees — which have exceeded over $6000 by some management companies — that are costing renters big time.
MN Sen. Zaynab Mohamed is pushing to expand unemployment benefits for striking employees.
Also in MN: Sen. Lindsey Port is carrying legislation to make the state legislature full-time — a structural shift that would make it both more effective and easier for more people to serve.
KY Rep. Josie Raymond is speaking up against a proposed constitutional amendment that would send public money to non-public schools.
Providence City Councilmember Sue Anderbois led on a new ordinance pledging to achieve carbon neutrality in all city-owned buildings by 2040. Huge!
CO Rep. Brianna Titone has led on the state’s new right-to-repair law for cell phones.
NYC Councilmember Tiffany Caban makes the case for social housing — permanently affordable homes owned and controlled by the people who live there.
Nearly all the nominees for the EMILY’s List rising star award are RFS alum — AZ Rep. Laura Terech, GA Sen. Nabilah Islam, NV Assemblywoman Selena Torres, PA Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, and WI Minority Leader Greta Neubauer. You love to see it.
In related reading:
Only 1.6% of state legislators identify as working-class — in part because of the structural and societal barriers that keep them out of elected office. Run for Something is working to change that, but it’s an uphill fight. Read more in Stateline.
North Carolina Democrats are trying a new strategy: Contesting elections in rural communities in order to gin-up reverse coattails for the entire ticket. We love to see this.
Thanks for being part of this team. We’re so grateful for you!
- Amanda