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Winning State Legislatures: Notes

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BUS PROJECT: www.busproject.org

 

Why do state legislatures matter: Redistricting, and a good gateway for future leaders. Big progressive change has started in state legislatures (i.e. women’s suffrage)

 

Problems and Ideas to address

Geography: We have become more ethnically homogenous but more politically heterogeneous within our states(more likely to live near people you agree with than disagree with)

Grassroots Engagement: Personable and effective.

Presidential and Top-Tickets focus on the base, not where state legislative battles are-hurts state leg candidates.

 

1 Idea-The Bus Project

Oregon: Bought a bus ($11,000 to buy, $6,000 for insurance and remodeling), loaded it with 50 volunteers and traveled to swing state senate districts to canvass. Staff: 2 Full time and 6 interns to start; ideally: 3-4 staffers, 4-5 vols/interns.

Observations: Where there was a higher effort (more trips), and more people, there was a better success rate.

Program Keys

Mass Canvass-beginning immediately after primaries, early for states with late primaries.

Fun-Karoke, Cookout, Headliners

Service Project Alternative

Good Script (“I’m Brett Cooper and I am volunteering with X candidate. He is a strong candidate on X, Y, and Z. He wanted to get people like me out here talking to the people about their issues.) Not (I’m Joe Smith from a town 2 hours away, and I came down here with a bunch of liberal friends to help convince voters to vote Democratic)

Recruitment (Do you want to get on a bus), not (Do you want to canvass). Start recruitment early (Jan and Feb), before ACT and the candidates can get to them. Recruit from basic groups (Unions, Schools, Local activist groups, etc)

Project funding: Donations, Grants

 

Volunteers: Up to you to share names with candidates.

 

Adapt to fit local campaigns that you partner with in regards to lit, matching volunteers, canvass lists, food and water and local campaign law.


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