If you use double quotes you should wrap them in single quotes like in your working alert.
message: '{{ now().strftime("%H:%M %Y-%m-%d") }}: is now {{ states.switch.vent_mbr.state }}.'
should work.
If you use double quotes you should wrap them in single quotes like in your working alert.
message: '{{ now().strftime("%H:%M %Y-%m-%d") }}: is now {{ states.switch.vent_mbr.state }}.'
should work.