The first key criteria we use for selecting a jurisdiction is the potential impact voters can have. We look for toss-up districts where the expected voting margins are so thin that either a Democrat or a Republican could win, and where each vote will therefore have an outsized impact. Whenever possible we hone in on communities where voters can expect to have a meaningful impact in multiple elections: with a primary focus on elections for Governor, State legislature, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and the Presidency. For the 2024 election cycle, our top priority is flipping the US House, which Democrats lost in 2022 by a total of only 6,675 votes in just 5 districts, out of nearly 110 million votes cast nationwide. (Talk about close!) So, our selection of target districts is driven primarily by the opportunity to win back at least five seats and to hold on to our most vulnerable ones.

Once we have identified toss-up districts based on vote value, we ensure that the districts are desirable and vibrant places to live, looking primarily at economic and quality-of-life factors, including state laws and policies, and then we seek to highlight attractive communities within the districts that meet diverse preferences.

We examine the economics of different communities within a target district because research shows that the local economy and affordability are among the most important criteria for identifying a new place to live. So, we consider factors like the cost of living (e.g., housing, child care), economic variables like the median wage and tax burden, and, of course, measures tied to job opportunities and unemployment rates. The places we recommend typically have relatively low costs of living. And, they tend to be places rich with job opportunities for people at all stages of their careers. Because we want to help all Democrats who are moving to find the right place to live, we present a wide array of options: some are focused on recent graduates who may prioritize job opportunities, while others focus on low/no taxes for retirement income for empty nesters.

And, while we always include affordable communities within our target districts, we certainly don’t rule out other places within our target districts (like Aspen, CO or Paradise Valley, AZ) which may be more expensive, because a vote in one of our target districts is highly impactful (and therefore good for our democracy) regardless of the particular community within the district where it is cast.

Our research has helped us identify the most important lifestyle factors in selecting a place to relocate. While we can’t screen for some highly personalized ones (like moving to be close to family), we have identified destinations that meet other top criteria, such as: climate; proximity to outdoor recreation, restaurants, and cultural attractions; public education; diversity; access to health care; neighborhood safety; and an array of community and cultural factors (internet speed, marijuana legalization, access to an airport). Again, we have tried to find communities within each jurisdiction and certainly across the country that meet diverse interests. Some are in the mountains, close to great restaurants and bars and have a nearby airport. Others feature nearby water sports, great schools, and walkable neighborhoods.