Over 100 people packed the Unitarian Universalists Church of Gettysburg on Friday Feb 20 for an evening strategy-focused meeting centered on organizing efforts and election goals ahead of the 2026 and 2028 election cycles.
The meeting was a coordination among The Adams County Democratic Committee, Blue Storm Action, and Gettysburg DFA.
Several local Democratic candidates for statewide offices were in attendance and the meeting focused on helping them, and others, in their election campaigns.
The program featured Blue Storm Action coordinator Edie Jardine, who led what organizers described as a working session rather than a traditional speaker event. The meeting was designed to help finalize the group’s strategic plan through a presentation and collaborative exercises focused on political trends, organizing priorities, and volunteer engagement.
“We’ve got a very unique opportunity coming into the 2026 and 2028 elections,” Jardine told attendees. “You’re going to hear a little about statistics, the landscape, and our strategic objectives, and then we’re going to break into small groups and actually work together.”
Jardine opened the evening by outlining Blue Storm Action’s mission and political priorities, emphasizing efforts to elect candidates aligned with the organization’s goals and to strengthen democratic institutions.
“Our goal is really to replace the elected representatives who are doing damage to our country,” she said, adding that the group seeks to elect leaders “committed to protecting our democracy” and who “have integrity and are working for everyday people.”
Much of the discussion centered on elections as the organization’s primary focus. Jardine said Blue Storm Action has made winning elections its central objective. “If you were to say, what is the one thing we must do above anything else — that’s it,” she said. “We are very focused on actions around winning elections.”
Among the group’s priorities is maintaining and expanding Democratic control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which Jardine said would help advance policy goals alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“We want to give Governor Shapiro the strongest opportunity to run the state the way we would like to see it run,” she said.
Another major objective discussed was strengthening local party infrastructure in Adams County by recruiting and electing precinct-level committee representatives. Organizers hope to fill leadership roles in 80 percent of county precincts during the May primary election.
“If we’re going to put together a group of people who can go out there and do the work, we need to get them identified, engaged, and trained now,” Jardine said.
Jardine also emphasized grassroots organizing tactics such as canvassing, postcard writing, text messaging, and door-to-door outreach as essential components of what the group calls its developing “field force.”
“We have to be on the street — writing postcards, doing text messaging, knocking on doors,” she said.
Participants discussed competitive congressional races in other districts as well, including efforts aimed at unseating Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry.
Jardine stressed the importance of cooperation beyond local boundaries.
“We can’t be resource-poor,” she said. “We need to build infrastructure so candidates aren’t competing for limited resources.”
The meeting continued with working groups discussing election-related topics including the economy, public safety, and election disruption. The meeting concluded with time reserved for discussion about recruiting and supporting candidates for local offices, including school boards and municipal commissions — a priority Jardine said is essential to long-term success.
“Nothing else we do here tonight will matter if we don’t support candidates,” she said.
The session marked an early step in local political organizing efforts as groups across the region begin preparing for upcoming election cycles.
Charles Stangor is a retired psychology professor who publishes the local news website Gettysburg Connection. He's a member of DFA's Communication and Local Elections Committees.