Get Involved
points than the opponent,” says Matt Batzel, the National Executive Director of American Majority. “So the goal is to win the election by getting more votes than your opponent.” Go to your local elections office and request targeted info. It might cost money, but you should be able to get the party registration and addresses of registered voters in your district so you know where to campaign most efficiently. 6. Fundraising isn’t scary! In a lot of cases, fundraising is the difference between a winning and a losing campaign. You might not think you need that much money, but think through your expenses — from a website domain to a campaign office to stamps — and set a goal for how much you need to raise. Then, ask. In general, people won’t just offer you money, you’re going to have to be the one to make the ask. But remember, you’re not asking for money for yourself, you’re asking for money to support change that you and the donor be- lieve in. People often feel more connected to your campaign and motivated to help if they have a financial stake, even a small one. “Campaigning is all about asking,” says Bushra Amiwala, who serves on the Skokie School Board in Illinois. She is the youngest
Muslim elected official in the U.S. “Once I believed in myself and my ability to serve, it became very easy to ask someone else to do it too.” Before you get started, remember to look up campaign finance laws for your state. How much you can raise? How much can an individual donate? How should you log your donations? 7. Get out the vote before the elec- tion. This is really different depending on how your district votes. Whether it’s in person on election day, or early, or by mail. The import- ant thing is that you don’t assume everyone you talked to is going to get out and vote for you — you have to ask them to.
RUN by Marian Walsh describes the help you’ll need, where to find it, and how to ask for it when running for office.
Get Involved Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not. Dr. Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children’s author and cartoonist from Springfield, Massachusetts. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Dr. Seuss, including many of the most popular children’s books of all time, selling over 600 million copies.
30 | Get Involved
Students Pocket Guide for Civic Engagement
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