WIDEA (Wayland Inspires Democrats to External Actions) has been incredibly successful with the hyper-focused and persistent Wayland to Manatee/Sarasota initiative (WIDEA leaders are Wayland Dems)! So far, over 20,000 cards have been sent and over 48% of Democrats in Manatee County are registered to VBM (vs. 38% of Republicans)... The Manatee Dems said they have never seen Democratic voters in these numbers. And each Florida vote is a vote toward a BIG win in this swing state. Wayland Dem Joan Blair describes this work, "Many Wayland Dems wrote cards and our work is making a difference. Why Manatee? They are a fledgling Democratic Party Committee in a growing and changing county north of Sarasota. Democratic turnout has been slow in past elections. We are helping them turn the tide." Volunteers are following up postcards with calls to voters whose VBM applications were rejected in Manatee County, some forgetting to sign their request. "Chasing VBM Ballots" to ensure these ballots are sent and returned is a major focus starting in September. In Florida, ballots begin to be sent one month in advance of the election (around October 3).
It's time to Flip Florida!!
For more information on "Chasing Ballots," email waylanddems@gmail.com. These are calls directly to voters who want to vote and need help getting ballots sent to them.
* NPA: Not politically affiliated
What actions can I take right now?
Action: Fight Voter Suppression with Reclaim Our Vote postcards Send Postcards to Registered Democrat Voters in Florida, asking them to Vote By Mail (VBM). Wayland Dem Jean Milburn has organized packet pickup with pandemic pre-cautions. Why: Voters who VBM actually submit votes at a rate 50% higher than those who plan to go to the ballot box. How: Materials distributed 10 am to 6 pm daily -- Envelopes containing addresses, postcards, and instructions. Please note the $5 fee is a political donation and volunteers can submit the donation form to the Florida Democratic Party. Where: Email waylanddems@gmail.com for Wayland address
There are many thousands of voters to contact in Manatee and we’ve got about 6 weeks left. All are welcome to participate!