The 2018 cycle is shaping up to be just about the craziest—and maybe most amazing—midterm election we’ve ever seen. Every day, the team here at Daily Kos Elections works hard to break down every important development on the campaign trail to help give this community and progressive activists everywhere the tools they need to capitalize on this extraordinary political environment and have the greatest impact this November.
Now we’re headed to the Netroots Nation conference (an annual progressive gathering taking place in New Orleans this year) to share what we’ve learned with even more folks—in person. To get there, though, we need your help to ensure that our three proposed panels get included in the conference’s agenda. You can do that by voting for each of our three submissions. Just click the links below, then check the “vote for this session” box on the right-hand side of each page!
First up is our classic question-and-answer session, in the finest tradition of the blogosphere. It’s been a Netroots Nation staple for a decade!
Daily Kos Elections Q&A
Come join the editors of Daily Kos Elections for an in-depth Q&A about special elections, general elections, the 2018 midterm landscape, and everything in between. NO presentations, NO PowerPoints, and NO speeches—just your questions (and our answers) on any race in the nation you care about. Progressives need to be well-informed about the races that matter most so we can deploy our limited resources effectively. So if you want to know more about what's happening in elections around the country and what it will means for Democrats, Republicans, and the nation at large, join us!
Moderator: David Nir
Panelists: Carolyn Fiddler, Jeff Singer, Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, Arjun Jaikumar
Next, there’s no way we could attend a progressive political convention and not discuss gerrymandering!
Ending Gerrymandering: Lessons We've Learned as Mapmakers and Reformers About Fixing Redistricting
Everyone agrees—we need to do SOMETHING about gerrymandering. But between all the legal cases and new laws and initiatives, there are so many proposed solutions floating around it gets confusing fast. We're here to help. We've assembled a panel with real life redistricting experience in states across America. They've worked for independent redistricting commissions, political parties, and local citizen's activist groups. If you've got a question about redistricting we've got an answer!
Moderator: Carolyn Fiddler
Panelists: John Ray, Grace Yoo, Matt Barreto, Stephen Wolf
And of course, we’ve been watching legislative special elections like hawks all cycle long. That sets us up perfectly to discuss the all-important general elections for the 87 chambers that are up this fall.
2018 in Statehouse Action: Harnessing Strategy, Lessons Learned & Grassroots Energy to Win Legislative Races
Succeeding at the state legislative level is a crucial cornerstone of the progressive movement’s broader political strategy this year. State legislative wins help us fight back against gerrymandering, establish progressive policies, and grow progressive leadership. Join our panel of state politics and campaign experts to discuss lessons learned from 2017 general elections in Virginia and special election victories nationwide this cycle, insights into recruitment and the political landscape in key states and chambers, and how the progressive community can work together to realize the potential for huge state legislative gains this fall.
Moderator: David Daley
Panelists: Gaby Goldstein, Geri Prado, Hala Ayala, Carolyn Fiddler
You can vote once a day from now through April 14. We’re grateful for your support. And if you plan to attend Netroots Nation yourself, please let us know in comments! (For those who can’t, we’re hopeful that, if our panels get selected, they’ll be livestreamed.)