May 20, 2026
Greetings, DFL Friends—
Bird migration is going strong — spring greenery is at its most intense. And we are down to the final convention, for the state DFL in Rochester 5/29–5/31. From there the summer campaign season will move into high gear.
And there is so much to get active about — high gas prices, an unnecessary war, and unheard-of levels of corruption (Arc de Trump, anyone?).
Meanwhile the GOP and Trump’s Court have been busy stealing votes by eliminating voters (we thought voters were supposed to choose their government, not the other way around!).
SO— even more than ever before, EVERY VOTE counts. Even if a race in SD31 might be hard to win, our district’s votes for Doug Chapin, Amy Klobuchar, and others will help determine the direction of this state and country for the next decade or more. Read on to learn about ways to get connected and involved. We need you too!
First Priority!
Thursday, May 21st – Campaign Volunteer LISTENING Training
Have you ever thought about volunteering for a campaign? Candidates rely on volunteers to help them get out their message during the election season. This session is geared to introduce you to listening at the doors. Listening at the doors is not focused on persuading someone to vote for a candidate, but rather listening to the concerns of people and then capturing that information. People want to be listened to and be heard. If you’re interested in finding out more, plan to attend this session.
Sponsored by SD35; SD31 folks are welcome.
Riverwind Community Center
2701 Northdale Blvd., Coon Rapids 55433, starting at 6:30 PM
And Next!
Tuesday, June 2 – Doug Chapin Town Hall
Government works best when people understand how it works and feel empowered to participate in it.
Join Doug Chapin for an open community conversation focused on civics, public policy, and the real-world impact government decisions have on our daily lives. This Town Hall is designed to be approachable, informative, and interactive. No political insider knowledge required. Just curiosity, questions, and a shared interest in building a stronger community together.
An informed citizenry is the foundation of meaningful change. If you’ve ever wondered how decisions get made, how to make your voice heard, or how to become more engaged locally and nationally, this conversation is for you.
We are ALL ready for better. Step one is showing up. We’ll see you at the town hall!
#FlipThe6th #ReadyForBetter
Environmental Focus: Help Save Migrating Birds— and Your Own Health!
Bird Migration is in full swing, and most birds migrate at night! They need full darkness to be successful. (And btw, humans need good dark to sleep well, a crucial part of human health!)
Lights Out Alert Minnesota (LOAM) is a system to encourage everyone to reduce outdoor lighting on a few of the most critical nights for bird migration over Minnesota.
Above is an example from this weekend.
100’s of millions of birds fly overhead at night during the 3-month spring and fall migrations, but fully half of all bird migration takes place on about 10 incredible nights each season. The Purdue AeroEco Lab creates 3-day bird migration forecasts, and when the migration numbers peak, they send out an alert. By making an extra effort to close our curtains and limit outdoor lighting on these few nights and, ideally every night, and encouraging others to do the same, we can make a real difference in the survival of our Minnesota songbirds.
You can get these alerts by following the link below.
Lights Alert Minnesota is led by MN Bird Coalition. It creates a statewide network of conservation partners, cities, campuses, and organizations to reduce light pollution during migration.
SD31 District Happenings…
SD31 DFL Monthly Meeting
You are invited! DFL folks gather every month for a combination of sharing news, social support, and a bit of business. Join us to meet with other like-minded progressives. All are welcome — you do not need to hold an office. If you haven’t tried it before, make this month your first time!
We meet:
The second Tuesday of each month
Andover Community Center– Community Room A
6:00 pm Social gathering
, 6:30 pm Business Meeting
Next Meetings: Tuesdays, June 9, July 14
Daily:
10:45 AM – DFL Statewide Phone Call : Sign Up For DFL Comm Calls
Weekly:
Indivisible “Retire Emmer” Protests — Otsego
Tuesdays 4:30 – 5:30 PM
Saturdays 11 AM – Noon.
SD31 Neighborhood Network Coffee Break (Andover & Northern SD31)
Saturdays (weekly), 8:30 -11:00 AM in the Starbucks of the Andover Target
Ramsey DFL Coffee Break
Every 2nd and 4th Saturday, 10am – Noon, inside the Ramsey Coborn’s
Spotlight— Candidate/Volunteer/Issue
Join other Anoka County DFL’ers for a
Picnic and Volunteer Fair at Aquatore Park in Blaine on June 6 from 4 to 7 PM.
This gathering is a great opportunity to connect with fellow community members, enjoy refreshments, and have meaningful conversations about how we can get involved and make a difference. You’ll have the chance to meet candidates, learn about volunteer opportunities with the party and partner organizations, and connect with others who care about building a stronger community.
Whether you are an experienced campaigner or just getting started, you are welcome to join us.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday, June 6
4:00 – 7:00 PM
Aquatore Park, Blaine
Policy Pulse— National—>State —> Local
In light of the frightening resurgence of “Christian” Nationalism (code for a potent mix of racism and sexism), including a big demonstration in Washington DC, it is important to remember the true history of our country — as recently recounted by Heather Cox Richardson:
“But the United States of America was not founded as a Christian nation. The Founders were quite clear about that. In the 1796 Treaty of Tripoli, ratified unanimously by the Senate just a decade after the Constitution went into effect, U.S. leaders said “the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion” and has “no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of” Muslims. They went on to say that “no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between” the U.S. and Tripoli.
“Thomas Jefferson, the key author of the Declaration of Independence, and James Madison of Virginia, the key thinker behind the Constitution, both wrote explicitly about the importance of keeping the government separate from religion. Jefferson wrote that “religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship.” “[T]he legitimate powers of government reach actions only,” he wrote, “[and] not [religious] opinions.”
“In 1785, Madison explained that what was at stake in keeping the state and religion separate was not just religion, but also representative government itself. The establishment of one religion over others attacked a fundamental human right —an unalienable right — of conscience. If lawmakers could destroy the right of freedom of conscience, they could destroy all other unalienable rights, including those enumerated in the Declaration of Independence and codified in the Constitution.”
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-17-2026
UPCOMING EVENTS
Check out the Calendar on our website for details:
https://votebluemn.org/my-calendar/
Tuesday, May 26
6:30 – 8:00 pm
SD31 DFL Communications/Data Team Meeting
By Invitation (contact us if you are interested — sd31dfl@gmail.com)
7:00 PM
Ramsey City Council Meeting
Thursday, May 28
6:15-7:15
Neighborhood Network Local Leaders. Monthly Virtual Call
The Neighborhood Network is excited to welcome new and younger leaders to get involved, on their own terms. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just curious to learn more, we invite you to join our monthly virtual calls where we’ll share who we are, what we’re working toward, and how you can take part in ways that feel right for you.
Join us on Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/jvq-yjef-wug
Tuesday, June 2
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Doug Chapin Town Hall
Municipal Center Conference Rooms — Alexander Ramsey Room
7550 Sunwood Dr NW
Ramsey, MN, 55303
School Board Meetings
Anoka-Hennepin:
Work Sessions – 2nd Mondays, 5:30 pm (June 8, July 13)
Regular School Board Meetings – 4th Mondays, 6:30 pm (May 25, June 22)
https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/2720
St Francis:
2nd and 4th Mondays, 6:30 PM, Community Room, District Office (May 25, June 8)
Look for additional events and sign-ups at the DFL Neighborhood Network website: dflneighborhoodnetwork.net
Resources & Links You Can Use
Keep checking our SD31 DFL Website: VoteBlueMN.org
Indivisible North Metro on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/indivisiblenmh/
Common Cause Minnesota
https://www.commoncause.org/minnesota/
Brennan Center for Justice
https://www.brennancenter.org/
Clean Elections MN
https://cleanelectionsmn.org/
Heather Cox Richardson
heathercoxrichardson@substack.com
Thom Hartmann – The Hartmann Report
hartmannreport.com
You can also hear Thom Hartmann from 11am to 2 pm daily on the radio (and lots of other progressive programs) on the Twin Cities progressive radio station, AM 950 (KTNF)
FREE AGAIN in 2026— CONTRIBUTE to SD31— FOR FREE!
Make a donation of any size to SD31 and get a full refund. The Minnesota Political Campaign Refund (PCR) provides refunds of $75/individual or $150/couple per year for contributions made to Minnesota political parties and candidates for state offices.
Contribute whatever you can — and then GET A FULL REFUND!
After donating at VoteBlueMN.org, just print and fill the following document and send it in with your receipt. The address is on the form.
https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2024-12/pcr-25.pdf
Email Updates and Submissions
Newsletters and other Emails from SD31 DFL will typically be sent out on Monday or Tuesday, at least once or twice a month. If you have an item to share, please submit it by noon on Friday to:
sd31dfl@gmail.com
We also welcome longer items for our website if you have articles, blogs, or letters that you would like to share! Check the site out at VoteBlueMN.org.
THANK YOU!
for all your efforts this critical year…
Stay connected with us and
Let your voice be heard!
Some of Our Core Values and Guideposts:
Compassion
Fighting Hatred
Showing up
A better economy and healthcare for ALL
The Rule of Law
SD31 DFL Communications
District 4 School Board Candidate Abbey Payeur