Workshop 1 -- You Had Me at ‘Hello’: Connecting with Voters in the First Minute

Ever freeze up after “Hi, I’m calling about the election…”? Nervously speed through your script at the door like you’re auctioning livestock?

Good news: We’ll teach you simple techniques that will ease those first-minute jitters and launch meaningful conversations with voters. In this lively, interactive 75-minute workshop (it flies by—we promise), you’ll learn how to kick off conversations with confidence, warmth, and maybe even a little humor. Whether you’re phone banking, canvassing, or making small talk in the cereal aisle, we’ll help you turn awkward openers into engaging dialogue.

You’ll walk away with practical tools, fresh energy, and a stronger sense that you’re not doing this alone—because building skills is great, but building community is even better. This workshop will be led by Elizabeth Chur, author of The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers.

She’ll build on this foundation in Workshop 2 (Tuesday, March 24): Turn ‘I Don’t Vote’ into the Start (Not the End) of a Conversation. No obligation to take both trainings, but you’re welcome to join us at Workshop 2 by signing up here: The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers Workshop 2

Workshop 2 -- Turn ‘I Don’t Vote’ into the Start (Not the End) of a Conversation

You’ve heard it at the door or on the phone: “Oh, I don’t vote.” Conversation over, right?

Not so fast.

More than one in three eligible voters skipped the 2024 elections—and here’s the surprising thing: many actually agree with Democratic priorities. If even a small fraction votes in this year’s midterms, they can move our country in a more hopeful direction.

In this interactive 75-minute workshop, Elizabeth Chur, author of The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers, demonstrates how to use curiosity and empathy to engage with “high-potential” voters—those who rarely or never vote. These fellow Americans are often just waiting for someone to listen without judgment.

Whether you’re a seasoned canvasser or phone banker or a brand-new volunteer, this workshop will give you strategies for transforming “I don’t vote” into “I’ll vote, and bring my whole family to the polls, too!”

This training builds on concepts introduced in Workshop 1 - You Had Me at ‘Hello’: Connecting with Voters in the First Minute. No obligation to attend that workshop, but you’re welcome to join us on Tuesday, March 17, by signing up here: The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers Workshop 1