The sad truth is this presidential election will be decided in a small group of swing states, those states where the race is highly contested. The same holds true for control of Congress. Due to money’s fluid nature, vast amounts of it from across the country flows into these states, with the goal of influencing less politically engaged voters.
Here’s a table of this election’s swing states.
If you don’t live in one of these states, it might feel like you can’t engage in a heated election race there. But that’s not really true. By reaching out to folks you know in swing states, you can participate, from a distance, in important races. Your passion for politics can ripple out to others, simply by connecting with those in your social circles.
How can you do it? Simple:
Even if you don’t live in a swing state, there might be people in your social circle who do. By reaching out to those folks, you can become more engaged in the election. You can engage
If this sounds like badgering your friends to vote, it isn’t. This is about reaching out to those you know to create long-term, positive social change. It’s about standing with them in unity. The best way to do that is to be upfront and honest: Let your friends know you’ve got the election on your mind, and you want to create a dialogue with people in their state about the election.
You can think of reaching out to one person in the state as the start of a ripple, a ripple that can grow into a wave as you reach more people. And a wave of politically engaged people can help sweep away tired, antidemocratic ideas.
Here are easy tools to help you reach those in your social circles.
Getting started
The easiest way to start? Post a message on your own FB timeline. It can be as simple as this: “I just saw a poll that said the U.S. Senate race in [insert swing state, like Arizona] is tight. I wonder if other people out there are thinking about the race in the Grand Canyon State? Let me know if you want to chat with someone who’s been thinking about the race in Arizona.”
If you’re feeling a little more motivated, you can use a more targeted approach. Use any Facebook search window and type: “My friends who live in [insert name of swing state].”
For example, I did this recently for [North Carolina], even though I could only remember 2 people that lived there. I was surprised to find 20 Facebook friends there, five of whom had very different political views than me. That left me with 15 friends I wanted to reach. Of those, I knew 5 really well, I was vaguely connected to another 5, and the last 5 were “Facebook friends” who I couldn’t recall how we’d become connected.
Connecting with your circle
Now that you’ve identified your swing-state friends, it’s time to connect with them.
Some friends make their political positions clear online by posting about candidates or specific issues, like racial equity or environmental justice. For swing-state friends who share similar political views, consider commenting on one of their posts. For example, you can write, “I loved your post about racial equity! I’m with you. I’ve been trying to connect with more like-minded folks who want to funnel passion about racial equity into getting more votes in [insert swing state]. Mind if I DM you?”
You can also reach out to swing-state friends and let them know you’ve been keeping an eye on the race in their state: “Hey [insert name of swing-state friend], I see you’ve got competitive races for president and Senate. I live in a blue state, and I’m a little envious of voters in the home of Krispy Kreme. How do you think it’s gonna play out?”
Side note: If you do a Google search, you can find out more about your friend’s swing state, like Krispy Kreme donuts started in North Carolina.
Remember that recent events, like the release of a new poll about the race in a swing state, can provide an opportunity to reach out to someone in your social circle.
Strengthening the circle
Now that you’re connected with a swing stater, you can continue to engage them about the election. Remind them to confirm they’re registered to vote. Actually, you can remind everyone to confirm they’re registered by just going to circlevoting.com. And speaking of Circle Voting:
If you’re reading this page, then you’ve already been thinking about the power of Circle Voting. It would be great to share info on this site with your swing-vote friends. But let them know that’s what you’d like to do. In other words: Don’t use your friendship as a means to force friends to vote your way. That’s manipulation. Instead, engage your friends in discussions about the race for the White House and the Senate. Say how you feel about a candidate or an issue. And when your friend replies, listen -- because that’s what friends do.
If you and your friend have a nice conversation going, then feel free to mention circlevoting.com. Tell them what you like about the site or how it’s helped you think about politics. And if your friend doesn’t seem interested, don’t press. Just thank them for listening and being part of your circle.
