Fundraising email: Rebecca Saltzman ("Help me reach my goal today")

Here’s a fundraising email I wrote at The Next Generation for Rebecca Saltzman’s successful re-election campaign for BART Board in 2016. The candidate herself had final approval and did a final edit.

From: Rebecca Saltzman <rebecca@rebeccaforbart.com>
To: Jason Gohlke <jason@nextgeneration.org>
Subject: Help me reach my goal today
Date: Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 3:48 PM

Dear Jason,

Just eleven days until Election Day! Can you help me meet my goal of raising an additional $2,500 for outreach to voters with a contribution today?

I’ve been spending a lot of time campaigning and talking to voters, and I’ve also continued my work on the BART Board to improve our transportation system. Yesterday was a big day for BART and for the Alameda County Transportation Commission, where I serve as BART’s representative. We approved three important items:

At the BART Board meeting, we approved an open data policy that will increase transparency and accountability, and provide broad access to BART data on contracts, spending, ridership, crime, and much more. As a member of the BART Board’s technology and communications committee, I worked to move this policy forward.

We also approved funding to reopen the fare gates on the southern end of the Downtown Berkeley station, which have been closed for over a decade. I’ve been working on this for the past few years because opening the fare gates will reactivate this side of the station, provide easier access to riders, and reduce fare evasion.

At the Alameda County Transportation Commission meeting, we approved full funding for the Safe Routes to School program. Staff had proposed funding cuts to this critical program that encourages students to walk, bike, take transit, and carpool to school. I worked with advocates and commissioners to restore this funding, and we succeeded.

This is the kind of work I’ve been doing for the past four years to improve BART and its connections to the Bay Area’s overall transportation infrastructure. But there are 240,000 voters in District 3, and I can’t reach them all without your help. Your donation today can make the difference between victory and defeat.

KQED said this week, “The BART Board of Directors is probably the most influential elected body in the Bay Area that most people seem to know nearly nothing about.” It’s true — many voters don’t think about BART Board races until they see the ballot. That’s why I need your help to reach as many voters as possible in these last days of the campaign.

Can you help me raise $2,500 by tonight for additional online outreach? Your financial support will help us directly reach tens of thousands of District 3 voters through targeted online advertising and other outreach.

Thank you for all your support this year. Please help me make a final push to reach voters before Election Day.

Sincerely,