What’s the Plan Howard County: The Race to the Midterms
This document lists actions that people in Howard County can take to help pro-democracy candidates win crucial state, House, and Senate races this November. The document is divided into the three objectives we need to achieve by November to make sure that we win the elections – and keep them won.
Table of Contents
Knock on doors in Pennsylvania
Flip MD-1 (throw out Andy Harris)
Call voters in key elections around the country
Write postcards to voters in key elections around the country
Sign Up to Be An Election Judge
Join the Visibility Brigade on the Gorman Road Overpass and bring a friend!
Ignore the noise, be the signal
Note: Giving money to elections
IndivisibleHoCoMD - Email for Questions, Follow on Social Media
Build the Blue Wave
First, we need to build a massive blue wave. A landslide victory is harder to steal than a close win – what they call “too big to rig.” There is a lot that we in Howard County can do to increase Blue turnout in critical races around the country.
Knock on doors in Pennsylvania
The PA-10 Congressional race is one of the most important races for flipping control of the House of Representatives. The seat is currently held by Scott Perry, one of the organizers of January 6 and a close ally of Trump. He is being challenged by Janelle Stelson, a beloved local TV anchor who came within 2% points of beating him in 2024. Her campaign credits the close race to the fact that (with our help) they knocked on a huge number of doors.
Between us and other local groups, there will be door knocking expeditions going up to York or Harrisburg every Saturday until the election. New canvassers will be paired with a more experienced partner and carpooling will be available.
Dates, times, and meeting places are available at the links below
Flip MD-1 (throw out Andy Harris)
Andy Harris (MD-1), a strong Trump supporter, is the only Republican Congressman from Maryland. The Indivisible groups in his district have asked our help in defeating him. We will need doorknockers, phonebankers, and postcard writers!
Work will begin after the Maryland primary on June 23. Email IndivisibleHoCoMD@gmail.com to be notified when MD-1 campaign events get scheduled
Call voters in key elections around the country
Phonebanking is the most efficient way to reach voters and can be done from the comfort of your own home when you have time - multiple times and days available.
Our Red2Blue team has identified several organizations (StatesWin, SwingBlueAlliance) that offer well-run phonebanks for important races. All phone banks start with training and offer live support throughout the call. If you are not yet comfortable, we have experienced phonebankers who will sit with you through your first phone bank. Below is a list of recommended phonebanks that will be updated as the season progresses.
Race(s) | Candidate | Organizer | When | Sign up |
State Houses in Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, or Arizona. | Multiple candidates | States Win | Tuesdays at 6-8pm Thursdays at 4-6pm Saturdays at 12-2pm | RSVP link |
PA-10 Congressional seat | Janelle Stelson | Stelson campaign | Tuesdays at 5:30-7pm Thursdays at 5:30-7pm Saturdays at 4-6pm |
Write postcards to voters in key elections around the country
Doorknocking and phonebanking aren’t for everyone. If you have mobility restrictions or simply aren’t energized by the idea of talking to strangers but still want to do your part for defeating Trumpism at the ballot box, we have the action for you – POSTCARDS!
Writing postcards has been proven effective to get out more votes! 84 million people did not vote in the last presidential election. This is more than voted for either candidate. Postcards reach people who don’t answer their doors and don’t pick up the phone. Our postcards are designed to be personal and eye-catching.
How it works
- Email indivisiblehocomdpostcards@gmail.com an ask to be added to the Postcard Brigade
- When a new campaign is ready, you will get an email with information about and instructions for the campaign
- Pick up a pack of postcards from one of several locations
- Buy the stamps for your cards
- Write the cards and drop them in the mail by the deadline
You can also host a postcard party - your own social club with a mission, where you can vent with kindred spirits! It’s simple – set a time (90 minutes is usually good) and gather a small group of friends to write. The Postcard Brigade facilitators will provide you everything you need and help you set up.
If you can’t write, we welcome donations of stamps!
Protect the Vote
Second, we need to protect the vote. Trump and his allies know they cannot win an honest election, so they have already started dirty tricks - gerrymandering, tampering with vote by mail, threatening to send ICE to the polls, etc) to try to steal the mid-terms. Fortunately, a lot of smart people and organizations are working hard to anticipate Trump’s dirty tricks and plan tactics to counter them. Our job in Howard County is to provide an army of volunteers to carry out the necessary protection work that these organizations identify.
VoteRiders
VoteRiders is the country’s leading nonpartisan organization focused on the critical issue of voter ID. Their mission is to eliminate ID barriers to the ballot box so every eligible voter can cast a ballot that counts. They inform communities about ID laws, equip partner organizations to expand voting access, advocate for pro-voter policies, and provide free one-on-one help to individuals to secure an accepted form of ID to vote.
If/when Republicans start setting up road blocks to registration and throwing people off the voter rolls, we are going to need volunteers trained and ready to help voters get IDs in time for the election.
Volunteer Opportunities
- Helpline Volunteer
- Voter ID Assistance Volunteer
- Ride & Appointment Manager
- Write Letters to Voters
- Text Voters
VoPro Pros
VoProPros is an all-volunteer, all-virtual organization that formed organically during the 2020 general election and 2021 Senate runoff election in Georgia. During these elections, hundreds of volunteers from around the country were moved to protect the right of every American to free and fair elections, and rallied to that cause. This committed and passionate volunteer army became a well-oiled machine, learning the intricacies of voter protection in different states, and methodically and meticulously working to make sure that every vote was counted. They work on a number of projects including social media analysis, curing ballots, helping get out the vote, and helping protect election officials.
- social media analysis
- curing ballots
- helping get out the vote
- helping protect election officials
Register young people to vote
The main reason young people don’t vote is that they are not registered. IndivisibleHoCoMD will be teaming up with RocktheVote to register young people in Howard County and around the state. We will need people to help staff tables at concerts and other events through September. Email IndivisibleHoCoMD@gmail.com to sign up
Election Defense Corps
The Election Defense Corps is a grassroots network of volunteers located in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas dedicated to protecting the right to vote before, during, and after the 2026 election. When federal protections are removed, defending democracy becomes a community effort.
If you have friends or relatives in any of those 7 states, send them this information and ask them to sign the pledge today to commit to joining the Election Defense Corps. By signing up now, they’ll receive strategic updates via email and text, training opportunities, and critical calls to action during key election protection moments in their state.
Sign Up to Be An Election Judge
Our elections depend on thousands of citizens serving as election judges. To be an Election Judge you must
- be a registered voter in the state of Maryland
- be able to work a 16 hour day
- read, write, speak, and understand English
Learn more and sign up here with the MD Board of Elections.
Grow Our Numbers
Third, we need to grow our numbers. In a study of authoritarian regimes over the past 30 years, no authoritarian regime has retained power when 3.5% of the population engaged in sustained noncooperation. If/when Trump tries to reject the results of the election, we need to respond with massive nonviolent noncooperation. That means we need at least 12 million people who are engaged and ready to stand up. We do this through public events that break through media bubbles -- protests, sign waves, and other events throughout the summer – and private outreach. Each one of you has the power to move people in your circle from unhappy passivity to informed action
Join the Visibility Brigade on the Gorman Road Overpass and bring a friend!
In two hours, we can reach 24,000 drivers/vehicles on I-95 northbound/southbound combined. Signs, flags, music and good fellowship all provided. Every Friday 4-6pm. Find it on the map here.
Special dates:
Friday, July 17th - "Good Trouble Lives On!"
No Kings 4
No date has been set for the next No Kings protest (will probably be in the fall) but we will need
- Planners & team leaders
- Volunteers
- Massive attendance
Let us know what skills you have to contribute by filling out this survey
Ignore the noise, be the signal
Lots of people want to do something but feel overwhelmed and not sure what to do. YOU CAN FIX THIS.
- Be an ambassador of democracy
- Wear a No Kings or Indivisible button to start conversations
- Talk to friends, family, neighbors; strike up conversations while standing in line, waiting for the bus
- Need buttons? T-shirts? Just want to talk? Come to an IndivisibleHoCoMD Hang Out!
- 2nd Sundays, 3-4pm, Wegmans’ 2nd floor seating area
- 4th Mondays 5-7pm, Black Flag Brewery
- Want to learn more about Indivisible strategy and activities? We have Zoom orientations every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 7:30pm. Find a date that works for you.
Heads Up: Giving money to elections
1) Do NOT give money in response to hair on fire emails, texts, or mailers and watch out for No Kings scam-PACs.
2) DO give money directly to CANDIDATES in high impact races – i.e. close, important, and underfunded. Some trusted sources
- OATH https://app.oath.vote/
- StatesWin, SwingLeft, Indivisible endorsed candidates
Don’t be afraid to use your spam button
– your attention is a vital resource
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