Hope Comes Knocking!
Hope SIngsen offers tips from the front lines of canvassing
By Martha Merson
Hope Singsen isn’t one to back off from intimidation, not now, not when essential rights are under attack. A professional copywriter and creative director who also makes and produces theater, Hope founded Target Majority, NYC, now affiliated with both Swing Left and Indivisible. Reaching out to encourage voting is one of her driving objectives. Swing Left has support and guidance for leaders like Hope and others to take action. Working door-by-door, she is fighting cynicism and battling for democracy. The Grassroots Connector figured she’d have a few tips to share.
Drawn to work outside their own blue districts, any place they can check the spread of the Trumpist agenda, Hope and Target Majority NYC are now focusing on NY-19 and PA-01, with plans to begin canvassing later in NY-04. All three are competitive, flippable districts. NY-19 has been called a toss up, and PA-01 is a rematch expected to be won at the margins.
A close follower of the Research Collaborative and Anat Shenkar-Osario, Hope has gleaned ideas from research and trainings that she incorporates into her voter outreach. So where should persuasion begin? With reproductive freedom.
“We started canvassing for the General Election in April,” Hope said. “In PA-01, our candidate’s scripts started right off with the question: ‘How concerned are you about abortion access?’ We have been talking to everybody (no matter what party they are registered or whether they recently participated in a primary or not). We go where the data suggest we will find voters likely to have concerns about access to abortion.”
Back in May, Hope recalled, regressive state laws were making national headlines. “I was on fire that week because of the news cycle. The message I brought to voters was layered: ‘The Republicans are out to control everything we do.’ I talked about MAGA plans and Project 2025 in concrete terms that people could relate to and that motivated action. The note I always end on is designed to prevent cynicism: ‘We’ve stopped them before and we can do it again.’ So my script now goes something like this:
“There’s a reason I’m out here on a beautiful Saturday talking to folks about November: The MAGA Republicans are trying to control everything we do. Right now, they are stopping women from getting healthcare they need to save their organs and fertility–even when a pregnancy is nonviable. Some women had to get a hysterectomy! If we let Trump win and if we don’t take back control of Congress – then nothing can stop MAGA from doing the same thing here and everywhere. That’s why it’s so urgent to vote for Democrats, up and down the ballot this fall. Together, we can protect our freedoms and we will stop them.”
“The first time I used these talking points in NY-19,” Hope continued. “I came home so elated! I got through to people that all my experience told me I wouldn’t get through to that fast. Usually episodic voters are people busy with their lives, not reaching decisions about elections this early. But this script was convincing people on the spot! Right now is a prime time to canvass!”
Hope recalled speaking with a mother of two who was not on her list. “I asked, ‘How are you feeling about Trump and the Republicans these days?’ And she said: “You know, I find it confusing. I'm not really following it.” That struck me – the opposition's messages may have been reaching and confusing her. Fortunately, my script made the contrast crystal clear for her. She was shocked by the information I was giving. She filled out a postcard for me to remind her to get other people to vote for Democrats with her in the fall.”
Swing Left will provide canvassing hosts Vote Tripling cards. “I’m a huge believer in them,” Hope says. The Analyst Institute has found able to lift up turnout by by 1.2 percentage points, which is enough to swing a close election. Anyone can order cards on the Swing Left site.
“In another conversation, I was talking to a 20-something first-time voter of color, who said she was not getting involved. She also didn’t know what Republicans are doing with their extreme healthcare bans.” Hope said, “I kept it specific. ‘What MAGA Republicans are about—nobody would want this. No one would want their vital organs to be harmed for a non-viable pregnancy.’ And she said, “Yeah, I can see I’m gonna have to get involved this year.’ She filled out a postcard committing to tell her friends as well.”
Inevitably canvassers encounter voters who try to end the conversation. What does Hope do to navigate difficult conversations, or conversations where the voter clearly wants to opt out?
Find out an issue the voter does care about. Tell a personal story about that, and offer your own perspective around it. If they won't volunteer their top issue, offer yours, and why it matters for you. This is essentially how I hit on my script!
Maneuvering in such conversations is like exercising a muscle that gets stronger with practice. Hope has encountered “Double Doubters”, voters who don’t want to vote for Biden or Trump:
“I avoid comparing the two. I say, ‘You have to look at the team and where they want to take us, what future they want to have.’ I can acknowledge voters’ concerns by quoting a friend. ‘Our elected officials are like public transportation. I don’t always love every detail when I get on a bus, but, where is it taking you?’”
With a little background reading, the Swing Left guide (see below), and some can-do spirit, many of us can be as effective as Hope Singsen. We can host canvasses and sway reluctant voters. Target Majority NYC welcomes Grassroots Connector readers to see and join its actions (including many on Zoom) at https://bit.ly/mobilizetm. To receive Hope’s newsletter for analysis and helpful links to other resources join the Target Majority NYC at https://bit.ly/tmajority. For more, start with the list below.
Target Majority NYC: A list of Zooms and NYC-area opportunities to write letters, canvass, and call voters, always with trainings to get you up to speed.
Swing Left Canvass Host Guide: A well-written introduction to canvassing written by veterans of door-to-door outreach and the resource for volunteers: Swing Left Canvass Meet Up or Carpool, to increase your impact when you work with a candidate’s campaign—everything you can control to set up for a positive experience canvassing.
Vote tripling postcards from Swing Left. Order postcards at least 10 days before your canvass.
“Freedom Over Fascism” A research-based messaging toolkit from Anat Shenker-Osorio.
Messaging guides by topic by Shenker-Osorio. Sign up for Anat Shenker-Osorio and Research Collaborative ongoing messaging briefings here.
So I shared this post on Facebook and it was removed because it was seen as spam with misleading links. I hope many people share this and let’s see how Facebook responds.