Want more volunteers? Recruit with Blue Wave signup at Primary

By Todd Thurwachter: Want more volunteers? A Democratic Primary is the best place to find and engage dedicated Democrats, but asking Democratic voters at the polls to help organize or volunteer doesn’t get many signups. Why? Even dedicated Democrats won’t commit to volunteer work in a few seconds. They’ll smile and say, “Sure, I’ll think about it” and walk on…

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Dems sign up Indian-Americans for Election Alerts at Republic Day event

Democratic volunteers signed up more than 30 Asian-Americans to receive Election Alerts at the recent India Republic Day celebration at McLean High School, attended by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) as guest of honor. Election Alerts are emails from Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) sent to subscribers near election dates with updated voting info — deadlines, how to register to vote…

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Help turn out the blue vote with BlueCards and FCDC’s clever website

When superstars like Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, and Elizabeth Guzman, a pioneer Latina in the Virginia House, swear by a BlueCard, you know they are on to something. The Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) BlueCard is a powerful tool to empower diverse Democratic voters to turn out on Nov. 5 – or earlier. The BlueCard is…

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Asian-Americans may be key to turning Virginia blue in November

As the largest minority in Fairfax County, Asian-Americans are a major focus of outreach activity for the local Democratic Party, which faces a critical election on Nov. 5 to determine the control of the state assembly. Today Republicans hold one-vote majorities in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly and the Democrats are mounting a major effort here in northern…

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Blue slips are good news for potential Democratic voters

A pink slip at work is bad news. But blue slips may make the difference between Democratic wins and losses at this November’s election. Blue slips are the informal name for the one-page reminders that Democratic volunteers are handing out to voters, directing them to manage all their voting needs by going to the “Voting” page on the Fairfax County…

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Absentee voting in-person helps Dems win. Boost it with the Voting QuickGuide

By Todd Thurwachter: Early voting is a key tool in increasing Democratic voter turnout — just ask Dr. Ibraheem Samirah. In Samirah’s successful race for state delegate in a special election on Feb. 19, early voting shot up 335% in Herndon compared to the special election just a month earlier for state senator, whose district included those same Herndon precincts.…

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Fairfax Dems register 16, engage thousands at local festivals

By Todd Thurwachter: During October, FCDC’s Voter Registration and Education Committee (VR&EC) mounted a blitz to reach thousands of voters before the Oct. 15 registration deadline, registering at least 16 voters at local festivals and engaging thousands with voting materials, including VOTING: What you Need to Know cards in English and Spanish. VR&EC also encouraged voters to manage their own registrations online and vote early…

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Fairfax Dems Mount Massive Latino Outreach

By Todd Thurwachter: Ahead of the Nov. 6 election, Democrats have made a sustained effort to register and educate Latino voters in Fairfax County – who now constitute 16% of the population, and are heading higher. The campaign has contacted tens of thousands in Fairfax and neighboring counties, led by the Voter Registration & Education Committee of Fairfax County Democratic…

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Lots of support for Democrats at Vietfest

By Todd Thurwachter: Volunteers from FCDC and the Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia (DAAV) reported the strongest positive engagement yet at this year’s Vietfest held in August. They found a great deal of support and enthusiasm, particularly among young voters, and recommended trying to recruit more young volunteers for next year’s Vietfest. Most important, they identified and built up an army of volunteers…

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Election Alerts help Democrats win by defeating voter drop-off

By Todd Thurwachter: When Democrats vote, we win. And in Virginia, we vote every year! That’s why Fairfax County Democrats have put into place tools like Voting: What you Need to Know and Elections Alerts. They can make a huge difference in fighting the biggest impediment to Democratic victories: Democratic drop-off in non-Presidential elections. Voting: What you Need to Know…

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