Counting Days, Counting Miles
until we see you at the polls!
Note: If you rely on alternative text to read graphics and images, we recommend you use the screen reader of your choice in your email or on the Substack desktop website to consume this content.
We’re heartbroken to see the horrific destruction by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and across the Southeast.
We know the good that happens when Swifties come together. If you’re able, please support disaster relief efforts. Young Democrats of NC have shared some resources.
There are 35 days to go until Election Day! Our calendar for the next 35 days is jam-packed with S4K events — from phone banks to text banks to friendship bracelets parties and everything in between!
How to get involved this week:
You know I love a Wisconsin phone bank: Join Swifties for Kamala and our partner organization, WisDems, for a virtual phone bank this Thursday, Oct. 3 from 6 - 8 pm CT.
This is our phone bank, we make the calls: Sign up to phone bank with S4K and NC Victory this Saturday, Oct. 5 from 6 - 8 pm ET.
Hit the Sunday matinee: In collaboration with NC Victory, join us this Sunday, Oct. 6 for a virtual phone bank. There are three shifts available: 12 - 2 pm, 2 - 4 pm, and 4 - 6pm. All times listed are in ET.
It’s a typical Tuesday night…phone banking for North Carolina! Sign up for our phone bank on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 6 - 8 pm ET.
Note: A full training will be provided at the start of every phone banking shift!
Oh my my my… What a week it’s been for the campaign!
Last night was the Vice Presidential debate, and we were proud cheer captains for our very own Coach Walz! He told the nation about his small-town roots, spoke about Kamala Harris’s opportunity economy, and noted that there are real consequences for the lies Trump and Vance tell every day. He defended his record on reproductive rights, noting that women like Amber Thurman should not have to drive long distances for proper medical care. In another response, Walz spoke movingly about how his conversations with the Sandy Hook parents caused him to change his stance to now support an assault weapons ban. In his closing statement, Gov. Walz invited everyone to join Kamala Harris in the coalition of hope and optimism she’s created.
J.D. Vance, on the other hand, seemed so high school… as in stuck in a high school debate classroom. He doubled down on his xenophobic, anti-Haitian rhetoric and accused the Biden-Harris administration of online censorship. He argued with the CBS moderators when they fact-checked him. He dodged questions about January 6th and failed to affirm that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. In conclusion? We’re glad we’re on the A-Team.
In other news, much of the national coverage this week has been (rightfully) devoted to covering the devastation Hurricane Helene left across the southeastern United States. Trump, rather than properly acknowledging the tragedy, has decided to tour the damage and falsely accuse the Biden-Harris administration of withholding aid from “Republican areas.” Playing politics with human suffering and environmental devastation is nothing new to him though! Meanwhile, the VP plans to survey the damage today, noting that she wanted to wait until her presence wouldn’t disrupt the delivery of necessary supplies to affected communities.
You Look Like Taylor Swift: And the most Swiftie-coded moment of the campaign this week goes to… Gov. Tim Walz shouting out Taylor in the debate for endorsing Kamala, and for rocking his friendship bracelets on the debate stage!
We’re back with our most recent coverage for Project 2025 to talk about their ideas for overhauling law enforcement initiatives and the Department of Justice (DOJ). While many are wary of law enforcement and the DOJ has mixed reviews, Republican crowds are chanting “More!” Let’s unpack how far they’re willing to go to achieve this.
The authors of Project 2025 are very concerned with the apparent censorship from the FBI and feel that “The FBI, along with the rest of the government, needs a hard reset on the appropriate scope of its legitimate activities” as they suggest that the FBI is policing misinformation too heavily (pg. 550). They also want to give the DOJ a potential to overreach into jurisdictions and go after local officials “who deny American citizens the ‘equal protection of the laws’ by refusing to prosecute criminal offenses in their jurisdictions” (pg. 553). In their effort to streamline control, they also call for the end of the Department of Homeland Security, with some of its functions getting offloaded to other departments (pg. 89).
While we fight for less destructive law practices, they only fight to insert and increase their presence. Get out and vote to ensure we don’t lose what we’ve worked for all these years.
Make no mistake — freedom is on the ballot this November, and keeping our fundamental freedoms safe and sound is a cornerstone of Kamala Harris's platform. She will not only protect reproductive rights, but also the freedom to love who you love and the freedom to VOTE. The Safeguard Our Fundamental Freedoms section on the Harris campaign’s website is a helpful, deeper dive into the VP’s stance on these issues of freedom.
Kamala trusts women and has been on the ground, meeting with and drawing attention to those who have been affected by the overturning of Roe. And it's no secret that she doesn't back down when she fights for the rights of others — just watch the viral clip of her getting on the phone and demanding that the Los Angeles County Clerk approve same-sex marriage licenses when she was Attorney General. And as the daughter of Civil Rights activists, she knows the importance of the freedom to vote and has repeatedly shown support for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
If you know someone looking for more details about how she plans to make a difference as president — share this information with them!
The Vice President also recently sat for a conversation on the All The Smoke podcast. The interview covered a range of policy topics, including the economy, gun violence, mental health care, and her support for the legalization of marijuana. There were also some key non-policy moments, including the VP discussing the importance of her role as a stepmom, why she picked Tim Walz as her running mate, and her fandom of the Golden State Warriors. You can watch a video of the podcast episode here.
Let’s get rid of the shitstorm back in Texas and bury our regrets in Florida!!!
Texas and Florida!!! residents — tell them they’re despicable, say it's unforgivable, and vote them out on Nov. 5!
Volunteer for Allred’s campaign — or donate here.
Volunteer for Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign — or donate here.
Voting is one hell of a drug! Take yourselves to the polls on Nov. 5 to make a difference in your state!
(for sources from these infographics, click here)
Voter registration deadlines are slowly lurching toward your favorite state! If your state is listed below, you have a registration deadline coming up in the next few days. Visit our website and select your state to learn more about these deadlines and make sure your registration is up-to-date — before it’s too late! Note: several of these states (Illinois, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico) allow you to register to vote in person up to and on Election Day.
Oct. 6 - Alaska, Rhode Island, and South Carolina
Oct. 7 - Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas
Oct. 8 - Illinois, Nevada, and New Mexico
Most states have registration deadlines in October, so even if your state isn’t listed above, we don’t think you should wait; we think you should check your registration now.