Small Town Actions for a New Democracy: It’s Local Elections Time!
Why This Activity?
This election is about so much more than two presidential candidates–it’s about choosing between a vision being put forward that attacks our basic freedoms or a vision where we build towards an inclusive democracy with human dignity for all. What an opportunity for us to dream big and collaborate across our differences!
As rural Oregonians, we value our freedom. The freedom of having a safe and affordable place to call home, the freedom to put healthy food on the table to feed our families, and the freedom to decide who governs in our name. Leaders across the ROP network are preparing to turn out in record numbers this November to vote for candidates and policies that protect and expand our freedoms.
What is the Activity?
Candidates all the way down the ballot will have a huge impact on making our vision a reality and elections give us a great excuse to talk to our neighbors about how we want candidates to represent us. We know that elections aren’t about deciding who we let take the wheel. They’re about choosing who we’re going to work alongside in the coming years to build a thriving rural Oregon.
Now is the perfect time to make or update your group’s election plans. This year’s STAND Election Guide is a tool to talk with our neighbors about our values. What do we really care about as a community? What do we most want for our future? Distributing STAND Election Guides can support your group in using the momentum of a big election to talk about the things that matter most to rural Oregonians.
The STAND Election Guide is written by and for rural Oregonians in both English and Spanish as a real people’s guide to the important decisions we face this year. It is a newsprint guide that uses easy-to-understand language to break down how voting works, who represents us, and what the ballot measures will do if passed.
Place your order for STAND Election Guides HERE by August 23!
How to Complete the Activity:
- Gather your group and make an election plan that will build relationships and strengthen your local organizing for the long haul! Are you going door-to-door to have conversations with your neighbors? Would you like to hold a ballot party so everyone can discuss the issues and fill out ballots together? What about a candidate questionnaire that gets sent to every candidate? Check out these Voter Communication Strategies from ROP for inspiration with tips and tricks on how to communicate with voters in the lead up to an election.
- Does your group want to engage around the election but you’re not sure where to start? Do you want support creating a plan for going door-to-door with STAND Guides? Need access to voter lists in your county? Reach out to your friendly ROP organizer or email sidra@rop.org!
- Order your group’s STAND Election Guides! Bonus points: decide if your group would like to create and include a flyer or insert. Human dignity groups have also prepared their own county or city-specific guide to insert into STAND guides that look at candidates and issues specific to your community.
- Please note that we ask groups to help cover the cost of printing and shipping the guides. We never want cost to be a barrier to your organizing; don’t hesitate to reach out if it is and we can make a plan!
- Distribute STAND Guides in your community. There are many ways to combine sharing STAND Guides with other voter engagement organizing! Here are a few ideas:
- Go door-to-door to knock-and-drop STAND Guides on your neighbor’s doorsteps. Make it extra fun by getting your group together, bring some craft supplies or postcards, and personalize your voter guides with a handwritten note from your group
- Is your group distributing meals or supplies to keep community members healthy in the heat and smoke? Do you know the owner of your local coffee shop? Do you use a community space for your group’s meetings or activities? Think creatively about spaces you’re already connecting with your neighbors where you can share STAND Guides
- Mail STAND Guides to your group’s contact list. Then follow up with a postcard thanking them for voting and inviting folks to a post-election conversation.
- Host a ballot party to talk about the issues and fill out your ballots together or bring local candidates together for a candidate forum in person or virtually! The STAND Guide will include suggested questions you can ask candidates.
- Share your plans with ROP and keep us in the loop so we can share your strategies out as examples to other groups! Email us at sidra@rop.org to let us know what you’re up to!
Click here to order STAND Election Guides online today!
Background: Kitchen Table Activism (KTA) is a monthly activity by the Rural Organizing Project. The theory is that small actions can lead to powerful collective results as groups of people gather to complete the same action throughout the state of Oregon. ROP works to keep each KTA easily achievable so that groups with other projects or groups with limited immediate energy can still manage to complete the KTA each month.
