Mobilizing Voters for the 2016 Elections August 27 Meeting Notes

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Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Mobilizing Voters for the 2016 Elections Initiative Leadership Team
Saturday, August 27, 2016 – 10:30am-1:00pm
Held at UU Church of Arlington, VA

Meeting Notes

Attendance:
Brendan Orsinger – All Souls
Kathy Dunne – Arlington
Pam Illar – Bull Run
Frances Barlas – Bull Run
Andrew Batcher – Cedar Lane
Mary Paden – Mt. Vernon
Marcia Kingman – River Road
Marti MacKenzie – Towson
John Horejsi – Social Action Linking Together (SALT)

Lavona Grow – UUSJ
Pablo DeJesus – UUSJ
John Gubbings – UUSJ
Bob Denniston – UUSJ
Anna Rhee – UUSJ

Unable to attend:
Gary Magnuson – Rockville

Preamble
UUSJ is breaking new ground with the only UU multi-state voter mobilization effort in the nation. This initiative is grounded in our UU faith and the Fifth Principle, which supports the democratic process in our lives. With support from the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility, UUSJ is working with congregations and partner organizations in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia to register voters and encourage them to participate in the November elections.

The UUSJ Voter Mobilization Initiative Leadership Team met on August 27. Members agreed to build congregation-based Voter Mobilization teams and promote the initiative to their members. We welcome all UU congregations in the national capital area to participate in this initiative, which provides a range of opportunities for congregations and individuals to engage in voter mobilization for this important election year. Please contact Anna Rhee, rheeoh@gmail.com, if you’re interested in partnering with us.

Initial Highlights
Commitments:

  • To build Voter Mobilization teams in each congregation
  • Scaled to the size of that community, which will operate consistently through the 2016 Election
  • Gather for a post-election Debrief roughly mid November
  • Share materials, as Mt.Vernon has begun to do
  • Suggest best practices, as All Souls has done
  • Help facilitate partnership opportunities, as Arlington and Cedar Lane have done
  • Agree to do outreach to other UU congregations informing them of the Initiative

Experience:

  • All Souls endorsed using targeted, data driven, techniques to help calibrate impact with resources and ensure effectiveness
  • River Road emphasized looking for opportunities and partnerships that facilitate access to high yield locations
  • Cedar Lane underscored the prudence of “right-sizing” the initiative to each congregation
  • Towson shared that doing is the best way to learn
  • Mt.Vernon shared that going out into the community is the best motivation
  • Bull Run shared that a good volunteer experience was important at the onset
  • Arlington shared that congregants are already plugging themselves into existing Voter Mobilization efforts, and potential partners will be happy to have more volunteers
  • SALT offered that this is the best way to build influence for subsequent advocacy interactions

Action:

  • Towson will have a social action Sunday on Get Out the Vote (GOTV), October 23
  • Mt.Vernon has produced various materials to promote voting for deployment as part of its community outreach efforts and has shared those materials
  • Bull Run has committed to learning by doing and partnered with Mt.Vernon for team-to-team coaching
  • All Souls and Cedar Lane will partner on phone-banking in support of the Reeb initiative
  • Team members committed to reaching out to those UU congregations not present to invite participation and inform them personally of the initiative
  • Mid October event being considered to gather in and mark transition from Voter Registration and Voter Education activities to GOTV activities
  • Webinar with partners being developed
  • Support calls programed for:
    • Tuesday, September 6
    • Monday, September 19
    • Monday, October 3
    • Monday, October 17
    • Sunday, October 30
    • Thursday, November 3