At a time when elections are decided by dozens of votes and Presidents are chosen by swing states, competitive districts have never been more consequential.
Illinois sits at the heart of the Midwest and Chicagoland is within three hours of some of the most competitive, most pivotal swing states and swing districts in the United States.
In 2026, Michigan and Iowa will elect U.S. Senators with tiny margins who could swing the Senate back to Democrats. Congressional races in Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan will determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, in Illinois, critical state legislative and local races could elect Democrats in places held by Republicans for decades.
Operation Swing State was founded in 2024 by Patrick Hanley and Ben Head, under the tutelage of U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle to bring together as many organizations as possible: Democratic township and ward organizations, state parties, advocacy groups, unaffiliated volunteers, and Indivisible chapters and help our coalition energize, mobilize, and empower volunteers who will make the difference in swing districts.
In 2024, we mobilized ten thousand canvassing shifts, knocking a quarter million doors in Wisconsin and Michigan. In 2025, we re-energized Democrats to win a crucial off-year judicial race in Wisconsin. Now, we’re reactivating the coalition to take back the houses of government, starting in the Midwest.
2024: we showed up.
In counties we canvassed, Democrats outperformed GOP trends 2–3×.
WI Supreme Court, Spring 2025
40 canvasses and ~300 volunteers in a seven-week ramp.
Ward collaboration, Spring 2025
Wards 40, 46, 48, and 49 working together produced 26% of spring volunteers.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about volunteering with our Chicago-based coalition.
How can Chicago volunteers help elect Democrats in swing states?
Operation Swing State organizes regular weekend carpools, bus trips, and canvassing launches directly from Chicago and suburban hubs into high-stakes swing districts across Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana.
Is Illinois a swing state?
No. Illinois is a reliably Democratic state in presidential and statewide elections, which is why Illinois volunteers are uniquely positioned to make a national impact. Because statewide races in Illinois are rarely decided on razor-thin margins, Chicago-area volunteers channel their energy into neighboring battleground states like Wisconsin and Michigan — just a short drive away — where competitive races decide the presidency and control of Congress.
Do I need prior political canvassing experience or a car to volunteer?
No prior experience or personal car is required. Every canvass launch includes hands-on training, scripts, and buddy pairings for first-time volunteers, and our community coordinates free carpool seats from convenient pickup locations across Chicagoland.
Who is part of the Operation Swing State coalition?
We are an 80+ partner grassroots coalition uniting Chicago ward and township Democratic organizations, labor unions, progressive advocacy groups, Indivisible chapters, and thousands of independent volunteers pulling in the same direction.
Can I volunteer remotely if I cannot travel to another state?
Yes. In addition to door-to-door canvassing, our coalition hosts phonebanks and postcard-writing parties that volunteers can participate in from home or local Chicago gatherings.
Find us out there
Follow along at @operationswingstate — or come meet us at a weekend of action.