There are always some people who wonder, “What can I do to get involved in politics?” Well, one of the ways to start is by working on a nonpartisan Get Out The vote effort. If you’re now saying to yourself, “But I don’t have any experience. I wouldn’t know where to begin or what to do.”
Well, I have some good news for you. There’s an organization in our state that is working statewide to help people become engaged with the political process who want to do so in a nonpartisan way.
There’s an organization called the Pennsylvania Coalition for Democracy–and I think they have the right idea when it comes to this whole thing about voting, why it’s important to vote, and actually creating a plan to help make sure eligible voters are ready not only for the general election on November 8th, but for elections in 2023, and 2024, which is a presidential election year.
The mission of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Democracy is to safeguard democracy and protect voter access across Pennsylvania. They are committed to securing the rights of all eligible Pennsylvania voters to participate freely in our nation’s elections. As a coalition, they seek to ensure that all elections are made safe, secure, and accessible for all communities within the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Democracy has a coalition of organizations they have partnered with, including: The American Civil Liberties Union, Black Political Empowerment Project, Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, the Octavius V. Catto Voter Empowerment Initiative, the Committee of Seventy, and the League of Women Voters, among others.
Some of their resources
They’ve created an extensive collection of resources and training initiatives to assist voters and election officials alike; in the run-up to the 2022 general election. These include the Catto Initiative Voter Empowerment Guide, election briefings, and information sessions.
These are hour-long sessions covering:
What’s on the ballot and tools for learning about all of the candidates,
How to apply to vote by mail, and
How to cast your vote in person or even at home if you wish.
Train the Trainer virtual workshops will also be offered.
These workshops will enable people to serve as valued resources in the community and prepare you to offer your own election briefing and information sessions.
They have print and digital resources. They have a voter guide, which is in several languages, and they have poll worker recruitment and training resources. Poll workers are very critical each and every election day. It’s been reported that poll workers are in short supply across Pennsylvania right now. They have training materials and info sessions to prepare willing citizens to serve on election day. Want more information about this training? Contact Lauren Cristella at the Committee of Seventy in Philadelphia.
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