Our Vote 2010 Guide

8/8/2019 Our Vote 2010 Guide

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OURV.O.T.E.ELECTION YEAR ACTIVIST GUIDE

BE A PART OF THE LEGACY

When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you dont speak outaint nobody going to speak for you. Fannie Lou Hamer

Values, Organizing, Tradition, Education


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CSA would like to thank

Te American Federation of eachers

for their generous contribution

to print the Our V.O..E. manual.


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SectionS 1 - 4 :

1. iSSueS education

AFL-CIO: Five Point Plan on Jobs

AF: Supporting At Risk-High School Students

CSA: Tings You Should Know About ESEA

NEA: Te Elementary and Secondary Education

IPC: Facts About Immigration Reform

Families USA: Healthcare In Your State

HealthCare.org: Health Insurance Options and More

2. Voter education

What Does Successful Voter Education Look Like?

Activities and Outcome

argets for Voter Education Activities Secretary of StateElections Division

taBLe oF contentS

OurV.O.T.E..Values, Organizing, Tradition, Education

A Program of Clergy Strategic Alliances

3. tHe 10 WeeK PLan

Preparing to Get Out Te Vote

4. Get out tHe Vote

caMPaiGn (GotV)

How to Increase Voter urnout

Te GOV Committee

Te GOV Coordinator

Publicity Coordinator

Volunteer Coordinator

Strategies & actics

Door Knocking Coordination

clgy Sg alls, LLc


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Our V.O..E. Our Voice | Values O rganizing raditional Education | www.clergyaction.orgOur V.O..E. Our Voice | Values O rganizing raditional Education | www.clergyaction.org


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he Our V.O..E. training manual represents a timely and critical resource or

equipping the Christian community with the necessary tools to build strong

relationships with grass roots organizations & conduct

non-partisan voter registration and turn out. In order to

strengthen our communities and work toward the common good we must

value the well being o all people and have a clear vision o where we want to go.

Te Our V.O..E. manual represents a bridge-building resource that can unite and

empower people o aith across denominations, race, political persuasion and theological

perspective. I highly recommend Rev. unes Our V.O..E. raining Manual to you and

encourage you to tell others about this resource to enable Christians to excercise the power

o their voice and their vote.

- Reverend Jim Wallis

Executive Director, Sojourners | Convener, Call to Renewal


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ragically, seasonal social services have replaced the quest or social justice inmany churches where pushers o a prosperity gospel and a lite brand o

Christianity preach and practice a me rst message. o be sure, the poor are

ed at Tanksgiving and Christmas, as middle class church goers comort their

conscience; however the systemic circumstances that cause and perpetuate poverty are not

addressed. Tese churches may even visit prisons periodically, but dont prophetically

conront the prison industrial complex and the criminality o a racist criminal justice

system that is anything but just. In the Name o Jesus they are politically disengaged and

contribute to the disempowerment o those they minister to.

Rev. une dares to have a prophetic consciousness and ministry in a prosperity consumed

age. Tis manual, Our V.O..E. encourages and inorms us on how to Do justice, love

mercy and walk humbly with our God, as models are highlighted and their message is

shared. Our Lord and Liberator, Jesus, the Christ, reused to sit on the sidelines o civic and

political involvement and was sentenced to crucixion by Rome as an insurrectionist whose

Kingdom was a threat to the Empire. He was anointed to minister to the poor...the

captives...the downtrodden while proclaiming economic emancipation and jus-

tice. Tis was a calling to civic engagement that eventuated in a political and econom-

ic revolution that was spiritually empowered. Our V.O..E. picks up the mantle that

has been passed on to us rom heroes and heroines like Jesus; Martin Luther King Jr.and Medgar Evers, Sojourner ruth and Rosa Parks, John Lewis and Jesse Jackson and

countless others whose spiritual anointing moved them to social activism. May we heed

the call and challenge rom our God through the prophetic mission and message o Rev.

une.

- Reverend Frederick Douglas Haynes, III

Pastor, Friendship West Baptist Church | Dallas, X

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Rev. Romal une, through the Our V.O..E. manual, has craed a balanced andeective approach to aith and political involvement. It is at once true to the

biblical calling o Christian leadership and true to the ideals o democracy.

Without the kind o training and guidance Rev. une oers, good

intentions oen translate into uncoordinated and ineective action. But

guided by the Our VOE manual, the dreams and hopes o social justice can lead to on-

the-ground action that in turn can bring change to a world that is in need.

- Brian McLaren

Author, Speaker

he 21st Century demands o us more than a desire to help and

good intentions. Te Our V.O..E. manual takes the next bold

step in issue education, policy initiation and voter preparation.

Te Our V.O..E. manual provides practical preparation or local congregations

to maximize their inuence in their communities. It teaches, inspires and motivates people

to move rom the sidelines to the center stage o activism.

Rev. Romal une provides a valuable resource tool to train another generation o oot

soldiers who will move beyond the walls o the sanctuary to become a voice or the voiceless

and an advocate or the marginalized.

- Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie

13th District, African Methodist Episcopal Church


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he Our V.O..E. raining Manual by Reverend Romal J. une is an idea whosetime has come. I want to thank you or liing liberation theology in the 21 st

Century. Our Lord, Jesus Christ was a liberation gospel preacher. It is my

belie that the Arican American Church is called o God to participate

in the work o Social Justice. Te Our V.O..E. raining manual provides the Church a

practical resource tool or equipping, aiding and encouraging the local church to build

a stronger aith community o voters. Tis manual is desperately needed to enhance the

prophetic voice o the church to aid in bringing about a redemptive social change in America.

Te Right to Vote in America is ar too important or the church to sit in the pews

silently and not hear the cries o the least o the these or justice and equality. Te church

must be intentional in its involvement in the political, social and economic areas o ourcommunities. Tank you or empowering us with this valuable inormation.

- Dr. Carroll Baltimore, Sr., First Vice President

Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.

Religious leaders have a responsibility to seize teachable moments in our

national lie moments like a national election as opportunities ortalking with people about the basic values that emerge rom our sacred Scriptures

and oral traditions and how those values impact and shape our civic

involvement. Our V.O..E. oers such a teachable moment. We must vote that means

registering to vote, mobilizing others to vote, learning about the candidates and their

positions, and ultimately casting a vote. Voting is one very specic way o assuring the

election o people who care or the issues that are important to you. It is an act o aith. It

is good politics and it is good religion. In our system o government, the ballot is the great

equalizer. Rev. Romal une has given the aith community a powerul tool to use during the

election season.

- Reverend Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President, Te Interfaith Alliance

Former Pastor for Preaching &Worship, North Minster Baptist Church | Monroe, LA


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Our V.O..E. brings an old, yet new approach to spelling out theimportance o voting values/worth organizing/structure

tradition/custom education/instruction. By so doing, were

challenged to make sure our concerns about spiritual well-being o

those we serve in our churches, districts, associations, state conventions, and national

conventions, will also move us to be cognizant o all the social strategies that impact our

lives daily. Consequently, we will become a part o the process, and not just the object o it.

Te OurV.O..E. raining Manual is a must or all o our churches, as we seek to continue,

to bring to our congregations those tools that will make a dierence in the quality o lie we

experience on our Gods good earth. Reverend une has certainly given us an invaluabletool to use in our voter education training classes that will propel us to new levels o

responsibility, and ruitulness; politically, socially, and economically.

At a time when ar too many o our elected ofcials are not receptive or responsive to the

needs o those who elect them to serve, it is imperative that we use Our V.O..E. to prepare

our present and uture voters or what lies ahead. Te usage o this manual will lead to an

inormed, involved, and impressive electorate community.

- Reverend Dr. Stephen J. Turston, President

National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

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he manual or the Our V.O..E. initiative brings much practicalinormation, as well as inspiration to the task o putting aith into

action. We are reminded, by the examples included o those who

have led in the struggle or social change that our aith should indeed

compel us to not only express concern or those who are marginalized and voiceless, but

also to actively work toward liberation and inclusion and empowerment.

Oen in congregations the question is raised as to what can be done to respond to issues

and concerns both locally and globally. Tis manual allows us to get to work in leverag-

ing the invaluable asset o our vote, and as an outgrowth, I believe, become stronger in our

understanding o, and commitment to, social justice. Tere is an accumulated wealth o

inormation in this manual that would take endless hours and much eort to compile, but

thankully here it is! Te step by step accessibility o the manual breaks new ground in the

realm o grass-roots and community organizing. It is exciting to think o how many groups

and individuals will be encouraged in their eorts by this much-needed work.

- Reverend Dr. Derrick Harkins, Pastor

Nineteenth St. Baptist Church | Washington, DC Secretary of the Board, World Relief

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Despite the hard-ought gains or equality and the inalienable rights ascribed toall Americans, the 21st Century Church in the Arican American Commu-

nity still suers the obvious signs o social disarray & disenranchisement. Te

rights we gained through struggle and martyr merit a stronger commitment

to social justice and the plight o the disadvantaged. Our V.O.T.E., by Reverend Romal une,

provides the track & uniorm or the race against negative trends and diminishing social

capital. Once again, the Body o Christ can demonstrate her relevance in communities who

need the Church to stand or social justice more than they may even know!

~ Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr.

Presiding Bishop, Church of God in Christ, Inc.

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V ValuEs

We share values o equality, justice, community, and the betterment o society, reected by

churches commitment to social justice. We arm the dignity o all individuals regardless o

race, economic status, gender or citizenship.

O Organizing

Our V.O.T.E. assembles diverse voices to build a grassroots movement with churches, local

organizations, elected ocials and labor unions. Churches, denominational conerences and

national religious networks will be linked in social change through engagement in the political

process.

T TradiTiOn

Across denominational lines, social justice is a rich part o the churchs history. Many strong

and dedicated organizers have come out o seminaries and churches. Clergy have played a

role in this countrys social movements, as a catalyst in the Abolitionist Movement and the

Civil Rights Movement. People o aith continue to lead and organize eorts across racial

and denominational lines. Oen, we dont know each other by name. Part o our work is to

document, profle, collect and publish (online), other social justice ministries and leadership.

E EducaTiOn

Te Our V.O.T.E. education program helps build capacity through trainings on grassroots

organizing, support or development o locally-organized coalitions, and education on issues

that impact aith communities.

V

O

T

E

WorK etHoS

introduction

ur V.O..E. is an ecumenical voter engagement training program that works with

local and national aith-based grassroots organizations and churches. Our V.O..E. wilassemble collective voices across racial and denominational lines by building on equality andOjustice. We believe mobilizing the community will lead to more competitive elections with new empowermentthrough policies and programs that reect community needs.

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A CALL TO ACTION ON JOBS

Mass unemployment is intolerable. Action is required. he irst step isto hold Wall Street accountable and ensure the big banks pay to replacethe jobs they destroyed. his campaign or jobs must be carried out at

every levelin Washington, D.C., in state capitols and city halls, in boardrooms andworkplaces and in living rooms across this country.

Who is the target o our campaign? Politicians who vote to deny aid or theunemployed and against action to create jobs, politicians who oer hal measures andcaution while working people suer, Wall Street irms that pay bonuses but wont paytaxes, corporations that take the publics money and use it to downsize and outsourcejobsand all those who stand in the way o an economy that works or all in the nameo speculation that beneits the ew.

What is the goal? Putting America back to work. Eleven million jobs. PresidentObamas recovery package has created or saved more than 2 million jobs, but thanksto Republican opposition and Democratic caution, it simply did not do enough. hereare now six job seekers or every job vacancydouble the ratio in the last recession.More Americans are suering the pain o long-term unemployment than at any time

since the Great Depression. And the Congressional Budget Oice projects that i wedo not act, unemployment will remain close to 10 percent or the remainder o thisyear and at historically high levels or years to come.

he consequences or working people and their amiliesthe lives put on hold, thehomes lost, the communities threatenedare grim. Children in amilies touchedby long-term unemployment are more likely to drop out o high school and lesslikely to go to college. Young workers entering the job market now are likely to havediminished earnings throughout their careers. Older workers who are dislocated risknever being able to regain the economic standing and dignity that come rom havinggood jobs. he harm rom this crisis to our society will be measured in more thandollars and cents.

We are going to press or the enactment o our ive-point plan, or accountability orWall Street and or a strategic approach to laying the oundations o a sustainableeconomy that works or allthat creates the good jobs we must have i the AmericanDream is to be a reality or our children and grandchildren.

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OUR FIVE-POINT PLAN

1. Take care of families hard hit by the downturn.

Extending current ederal supplemental unemployment beneits programs is the irstand highest priority. Instead o limping along with short-term measures, Congressshould extend these programs through the end o 2010, along with additional oodassistance and expansion o COBRA health care beneits. Without these beneits,the economy risks a downward spiral as amilies all into bankruptcy and lose theirhealth care and their homes to oreclosure.

2. Rebuild America.

America has at least $2.2 trillion in unmet inrastructure needs, even ater the $130billion in inrastructure spending included in last years American Recovery andReinvestment Act. Prevailing wage protections must be maintained on this continuingand essential work to ensure the jobs that are created are good jobs and the projectsare well built.

Inrastructure projects can also create substantial long-term employment inmanuacturing, design and engineering i we act to see that the domestic U.S. supplychain produces the materials that will be neededrom wire, steel and pipes to high-speed trains and nuclear vessels. Preerence or American-made products should

continue to be the policy o the United States as it has been in the Recovery Act. Strongand properly enorced Buy America provisions are necessary to ensure that theseederal, state and local dollars are spent in ways that create U.S jobs and contributeto the development o U.S industrial capacity throughout the inrastructure supplychain.

3. Help state and local governments meet pressing needs.

State and local governments and school districts are experiencing the worst iscalcrisis in decades, with state shortalls in FY 2011 alone estimated to exceed $180billion, and $588 billion over the next our years. At a time when states need to domore to help amilies that have been hit hard by recession, there are ewer resources to

do so. State and local government layos threaten our national economic recoveryand decisions on 2011 state budgets are being made now. I action is not taken, theCenter on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates state and local government cutsin 2011 will lead to the loss o 900,000 public-sector jobs. he total consequencesincluding the indirect eects o these cuts in the private sector are likely to be wellover 1 million lost jobs.

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he next iscal year promises to be the most diicult yet or state governments,but most o the state and local government aid in the recovery act has already beenobligated. he jobs that have been saved and the services those workers provide areat risk. he ederal government should temporarily extend the programsFederalMedical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) and the Education Jobs Fundthat havebeen so eective in saving jobs and allowing vital services such as education, police,ire and highway maintenance to continue. Doing so will directly help with thecreation and preservation o jobs. In addition, maintaining public services, includingeducation and training, is critical to an economic environment in which private-sector job creation is possible.

Some o the relie needs to be long term. he ederal government should also provideadditional, lexible counter-cyclical relie to state and local governments and putautomatic stabilizers into programs like Medicaid to avoid uture deep cuts in services

just as the economy is weakening. Finally, it makes no sense or states to bear theburden o Medicaid expenditures or those eligible or Medicare. All medical care orthe Medicare eligible should be consolidated under the Medicare system.

We know job losses are contributing to r ising child poverty, hunger and homelessness.Children brought up in these circumstances will have a diminished chance to realizethe American Dream. Putting Americans to work and protecting services likeMedicaid and public education is a step towards protecting our childrens and ournations uture.

4. Put people back to work doing work that needs to be done.

National economic policy must prioritize the preservation o good public sector jobsthat provide vital services and capacity or building strong communities. In addition,expansion o vital services in targeted areas can reduce unemployment and provideinrastructure or economic growth.

While tens o millions look or work, there is plenty o work to be done. he ederalgovernment should explore new avenues or putting the unemployed back to workquickly in good jobs, including in distressed communities acing severe unemployment.O course, these initiatives must be designed so they maintain existing wage andbeneit standards and do not displace existing jobs or simply exchange one group ounemployed workers or another.

In addition, we should provide more unding to maintain current jobs and prepare

workers who need assistance in retooling their skills. he ederal government shouldexpand existing programs to provide additional incentives or job creation and trainingin needed areas such as nursing, engineering and math and science instruction. Inaddition, we should expand access to college and provide income support or workerswho are committed to improving their own skills and acquiring education, includingthrough joint labor-management apprenticeship programs. Education and skill

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development are absolutely essential to Americas ability to compete and thrive in adynamic global economy. At every lie stage, workers should have the opportunity to

ulill their potential.

5. Ease the credit crunch for small and medium-sized businesses.

Banks are not lending to small businesses. he bank bailout helped Wall Street restoreproits when it should have been helping Main Street create jobs. We should establisha und to lend ARP money to small- and medium-sized businesses at commercialrates, managed by the community banks let out o the Wall Street bailout, with thebanks taking irst-dollar risk. I small business can get credit, small business willcreate jobs. We applaud President Obamas support or providing credit to smallbusiness, but urge that the mechanism dedicate unds solely to small business lending

and not be given to banks or their general use.Banks that receive ARP money should have to account or their use o those unds asrecommended by the Congressional Oversight Panel and the special inspector general.hey should be putting those unds to work to ease credit and help stimulate growth,and there should be appropriate consequences i they use the unds or purposesother than supporting lending by healthy institutions to the real economy.

the long-term vision good, sustainable jobs

he steps we take to create jobs now must be part o our ight or the long-termstrength o the U.S. economy. In addition, any jobs we create must be good jobs.axes that incentivize long-term investment are part o that ight. So is the ocus oninrastructure o all kindssuch as transportation, energy, education and universalbroadband Internet access. We must also recognize that at the core o our nationseconomic crisis is the long-term decline o our manuacturing sector, so any eectivestrategy or long-term economic revival must include a strategy or rebuilding a 21stcentury manuacturing sector. Such a strategy necessarily will involve addressingstructural barriers such as Chinese currency manipulation and U.S. tax practices thatsubsidize the export o jobs. We must also leverage stimulus spending to ensure that

the end result is enhanced U.S. supply chains in key areas such as energy technology.ax policy and sourcing policy must work to ensure that we move orward on the vital inrastructure we need while building the long-term competitiveness o ourmanuacturing sector. Finally, our ight is or good jobs that sustain amilies andprovide workers the reedom to orm unions and bargain collectively. Enacting theEmployee Free Choice Act is key to realizing that goal.

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SUPPORTING AT-RISK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Randi Weingarten, President | American Federation of eachers

Ensuring that every child graduates rom high school prepared or lie and or

college or career is an economic and moral imperative.

As leaders and concerned members o our communities, we have a responsibility

to help all children succeed. And we have a special responsibility to students at

the greatest risk o ailurestudents or whom the school setting oers the moststability and opportunity in their daily lives.

Many such students are concentrated in so-called dropout actories, which have a

disproportionate share o potential high school dropouts. More than 40 percent o

the students enrolled in these schools as reshmen will have dropped out by their

senior year.

Yet, many ormer dropout actories have been transormed into high-unctioning,

nurturing schools that equip todays students with the academic and lie skills they

need or the 21st century.

What turned these schools around? And what must we do to ensure that all students

are prepared or college, work and lie? As a ormer inner-city high school teacher

mysel, let me share six concrete steps that can dramatically increase high school

attainment:

We must provide every student with a rigorous, engaging and relevant high

school education. hat meansin addition to high academic standards and good

curricular materialsgiving teachers the tools, time and trust they need to help

students. Develop early warning systems to identiy at-risk students as early as

sixth grade. Create individualized learning plans to address students academic,

social and emotional needs.

Oer multiple pathways to graduation, rom International Baccalaureate programs

to career and technical schools, to extended time or graduation.

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Increase opportunities or service learning, a proven success.

Increase the number o nontraditional high-quality models like community high

schools with wraparound services, small theme-based schools and magnets.

ake a program called Say Yes to Education (www.sayyestoeducation.org), which is

at work in our states. It is a dropout prevention program that oers a successul

blend o incentives and supports to boost achievement, starting when a child enters

prekindergarten and continuing through high school and beyond.

In Rhode Island, every high school student has an individual learning program,

in large part to bolster high school attainmentespecially or at-risk students. In

Florida, a program called ake Stock in Children (www.takestockinchildren.org) hasestablished mentoring and case management systems that keep at-risk high school

kids on track.

Ive recently visited high schools that, despite great obstacles, are successully

preparing students or urther educationand or ulilling lives. As unique as these

schools are, they have certain common characteristics. hey oer a robust education

program and at the same time reduce student anonymity, spark student interests,

oer incentives or achievement and provide time or teachers to work together

toward proessional growth and on their students behal.

he American Federation o eachers will work with leaders in the aith communityas well as other stakeholders that make educational attainmentespecially or at-

risk studentsa top priority. We will ocus our eorts to dramatically increase high

school attainment in several speciic ways.

First, we will work to identiy schools and programs or middle and high school

students that are successul and replicable. Second, we will zero in on students who

are above the high school graduation age yet lack enough credits to graduate. An

immediate, intense ocus on these students can prooundly improve their lietime

prospects.

Ater all, ensuring that every child graduates rom high school prepared or lie andor college or career is an economic and moral imperative. Working together, we can

help our young people get the kind o education that opens doors or them throughout

their lives.

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Our V.O..E. Our Voice | Values O rganizing raditional Education | www.clergyaction.org

Section

4

Section

1THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT ESEA

What is ESEA?

he Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the central ederallaw or kindergarten through college education. It was irst enacted in 1965 aspart o President Johnsons War on Poverty to und proessional development,instructional materials, educational programs, and parental involvement, aswell as reduce the achievement gap between rich and poor, an among the races.

What are some o the major unding areas?

itle I Funds or schools that serve students in poverty.itle II Funds to school systems to improve teacher quality & reduce class sizeitle III Funds or bilingual education

What must school systems do?

Have a system o academic standardsAssess students mastery o these standards

Implement a system that requires all students to meet annual achievement targets inreading and math and impose a series o consequences on schools that do not meetthese targets.

Why is ESEA a major issue or the aith community?

he ESEA is reauthorized every six years or so where Congress can make changes.When it was last authorized under the Bush administration, it was called the NoChild Let Behind Act o 2001 (NCLB).

Now, under the Obama Administration, the aith community has an opportunityto have a voice to make sure that the public education system is prepared to give

students what they need to succeed in the 21st-century. Now is the time to demandthat the ocus and unding shits rom testing to teaching. Now is the time to insistthat schools and teachers are provided with the tools and resources to prepare studentsor the new reality o succeeding in a knowledge-based economy.

clgy Sg alls, LLc

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THE ELEMENTARY & SECONDARYEDUCATION ACT

Principles or Reauthorization

he reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) must ocus onpolicies that would help transorm public schools into high-quality learning centersby recognizing the shared responsibility among local, state, and ederal governments.Each proposed change must be careully considered to ully understand its eect onour nations schools and students. Policy makers should seek out and listen to the

voices o educators, parents, and communities in developing legislative proposals, we oer these principles or ESEA reauthorization:

he ederal government should serve as a partner to support state eorts totransorm public schools.

he 21st century requires a partnership among all levels o governmentederal,state and localto make up or the historic inequitable distribution o tools andresources to our nations students.

We should support eective models o innovation (such as community schools,

career academies, well-designed and accountable charter schools, magnet schools,inclusion o 21st century skills, and educational technology), and create a moreinnovative educational experience to prepare students or challenging postsecondaryexperiences and the world o work.

he ederal government plays a critical role in ensuring that all childrenespeciallythe most disadvantagedhave access to an education that will prepare them tosucceed in the 21st century. he ederal government should ocus on high-qualityearly childhood education, parental/amily involvement and mentoring programs,as well as quality healthcare or children to help overcome issues o poverty thatmay impede student progress. It should support community school initiatives inan eort to address these issues comprehensively; and must provide resources to

improve teaching and learning conditions through smaller classes and school repairand modernization.

A revamped accountability system must correctly identiy schools in need oassistance and provide a system o eective interventions to help them succeed. heschools most in need o improvement deserve targeted, eective, research-based

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Section

4

Section

1

interventions designed to address their speciic needs.

he ederal government should respect the proession o teachers and educationsupport proessionals by providing supports and resources to help students succeed.Hard-to-sta schools, especially those with high concentrations o disadvantagedstudents or those that have consistently struggled to meet student achievement targets,need signiicant supports and resources, including additional targeted unding toattract and retain quality educators.

he ederal government should require states to detail how they will remedy inequitiesin educational tools, opportunities and resources. Funding should be targeted toschools with the highest concentrations o poverty.

State and local collective bargaining or school employees must be respected.

argeted programs that support students and schools with unique needssuch asEnglish Language Acquisition, Impact Aid, rural schools and Indian educationshould be maintained and expanded.

he ederal government should serve as a research clearinghouse, making available toeducators a wealth o knowledge about how best to teach students and help schoolsimprove practices.

ESEA Reauthorization : Fulill the Promise o Public Education

he public education system is critical to democracy. It has two purposes : tomaximize the achievement, skills, opportunities, and potential o all students bypromoting their strengths and addressing their needs; and to ensure all students areprepared to thrive in a democratic society and in a diverse and rapidly changingworld as knowledgeable, creative, and engaged citizens and lielong learners.

To fulfill the purpose of public education, we must:

Promote Innovation in Public Schools

Support innovative public school models o education that inorm and accelerateschool transormation eorts and prepare students or citizenship, lielong learning,and challenging postsecondary education and careers

Increase educational research and development and provide a clearinghouse orinnovative promising practices

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Provide Students with Multiple Ways to Show What hey Have Learned

Use more than ill-in-the-bubble tests to give students a better chance to showwhat they know (i.e., projects, perormances, videos, etc.) Develop an accountabilitysystem that recognizes schools that make progress toward achieving learning goalsand correctly identiies struggling schools in order to provide meaningul supportinstead o punishment

Improve technology to enhance instruction and protect student and educator privacy.Recognize the unique instructional and assessment needs o special populations,including students with disabilities and English language learners by designingstandards and assessments that are accessible or all students

Elevate the Proession to Attract Great Educators and Leaders or Every PublicSchool

Respect teachers and education support proessionals as proessionals by ensuringthey are part o critical decisions aecting students, schools, and their work lives

Ensure students have access to accomplished educators by ensuring high standardsor entry into the proession and by oering incentives to teach in hard-to-staschools

Encourage school leaders to eectively run the school and serve as role model oreducators Create a prestigious national education institute and provide incentives tostates to create world-class teacher preparation programs that attract the top tier ocollege graduates nationally

Champion, Adequate, Equitable, and Sustainable Funding or All Public Schools

Ensure adequate and equitable unding or schools and ully und critical programssuch as itle I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Help states and districts to identiy disparities in educational resources, supports,programs, opportunities, class sizes, and personnel (including the distribution oaccomplished educators)

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Section

4

Section

1

FACTS ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM

he Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research arm o the AmericanImmigration Council (AIC). IPC was established in 2003 with the mission to providepolicy makers, academics, the media, and the general public with access to accurateinormation about the eects o immigration on the U.S. economy and society. heIPC attracts nationally recognized scholars as research ellows and guest authors, andpublishes timely reports on the role o immigrants and immigration policy. ogether,the IPC director, ellows, and sta have been a major voice in the national debate

on immigration. hey have testiied beore Congress and regularly serve as expertson immigration law and policy issues or members o the media. he ImmigrationPolicy Center is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes anypolitical party or candidate or oice.

Why Do We Need Immigration Reorm?

he current immigration system is outdated and broken. Americans are justiiablyrustrated and angry. he problem is complex, and a comprehensive, national solutionis necessary. Politicians who suggest that the U.S. can deport its way out o the problemby removing 12 million people are unrealistic. he U.S. needs a air, practical solution

that addresses the underlying causes o undocumented immigration and creates anew, national legal immigration system or the 21st century.

A majority o Americans avors realistic reorm over unachievable rhetoric:Polls consistently ind that Americans support a tough but comprehensive solutionor those here illegally over an enorcement-only immigration policy. Accordingto polls o the general election voters conducted or Americas Voice by LakeResearch Partners and Benenson Strategy Group, 57% o all voters and 74% o Latino voters supported comprehensive immigration reorm as opposed to enorcement-only measures, and 67% o all voters and 71% o Latino voters believe that illegalimmigrants should be required to register and become legal, rather than leaving thecountry or being allowed to stay only temporarily. Furthermore, 67% o both Obama

and McCain voters supported legalization.

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he public sees comprehensive immigration reorm as consistent with, not

working against, our nations economic recovery:

Nationwide, 62% o voters said We would be better o i people who are in theUnited States illegally became legal taxpayers so they pay their air share, vs. 21%who said We would be better o i people who are in the United States illegally letthe country because they are taking away jobs that Americans need. Swing districtvoters agreed, supporting the ormer statement over the latter by a 66-23% margin.

he best way to solve the problem is to ace reality: Undocumented immigrants areintegrated members o our amilies and communities. Nationwide, undocumentedimmigrants comprise 5% o the workorce, and in states like Arizona, its double. Incertain sectors like agriculture and construction, undocumented workers comprise up

to 25% o the workorce. Nationwide, there are approximately 3 million U.S.-citizenchildren with at least one undocumented parent, and policies that target their parentshave grave eects on the children. Approximately 60% o undocumented immigrantshave been in the U.S. longer than eight years. he vast majority o undocumentedimmigrants are simply here to work. Immigrants who work, pay taxes, do not commitcrimes, and want to be Americans should be required to come orward and registeror legal status.

he Economic Arguments or Immigration ReormIn this economic downturn, many may argue that immigration reorm is not a

priority. However, reorming our broken immigration system is an important parto improving our economy. Currently, unscrupulous employers are able to exploitundocumented workers and create unair competition by violating labor laws andpaying sub-minimal wages. his is harmul to U.S. businesses and U.S. workers. Ourimmigration system needs to work or all Americans, not just or those employerslooking or low-cost labor. We need to recognize that it would be ar better iimmigrant workers were here legally and could exercise the same rights on the jobas native-born workers. Leveling the playing ield or both workers and employersby legalizing all workers and enorcing labor laws against bad-apple employers willeliminate unair competition and improve the wages and working conditions o allworkers.Leveling the playing ield will beneit U.S. workers and the U.S. economy. We need to

ensure that undocumented immigrants come orward, pay a ine, undergo backgroundchecks, and get on a path to earning legal immigration status and citizenship. hiswill put more workers and employers on the tax rolls, level the playing ield or allworkers and law-abiding employers, and stabilize communities and amilies.

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A January 2010 study by Dr. Ral Hinojosa-Ojeda, conducted or the ImmigrationPolicy Center and the Center or American Progress, estimates that immigration

reorm which includes legalization o unauthorized immigrants and the creation omore lexible channels or legal immigration in the uture would add at least $1.5trillion in cumulative U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over 10 years.

Legalization raises wages or all U.S. workers. he 1986 Immigration Reorm andControl Act (IRCA) resulted in the legalization o more than 2.7 million undocumentedimmigrants within ive years. A 1992 survey by the U.S. Department o Labor on theCharacteristics and Labor Market Behavior o the Legalized Population Five YearsFollowing Legalization ound that legalized workers saw a 15% mean hourly wageincrease. he mean hourly wages o U.S. workers grew by even more than that o thelegalized workers. Increased wages means increased consumption and tax revenue.

We need to enorce labor laws against unscrupulous employers and prevent unaircompetition and the exploitation o workers. For years, the Bush Administrationtargeted immigrant workers in large-scale immigration raids and gave a ree passto employers who violate labor laws. his approach was expensive and ineective.A new Congress and a new Administration needs to put workers irst, and punishabusive employers who violate immigration and labor laws to widen their proitmargins and undermine their competitors.

Immigration raises wages or most Americans: According to a 2006 study byGiovanni Peri, Associate Proessor o Economics at the University o Caliornia,Davis, immigration has increased the average wages o all native-born workers. Peri

ound that between 1990 and 2004, the roughly 90% o native-born workers with atleast a high-school diploma experienced wage gains because o immigration rangingrom 0.7% to 3.4%, depending on their level o education.

Immigrant purchasing power is enormousand growing: According to the SeligCenter or Economic Growth at the University o Georgia, Latino buying powertotaled $862 billion in 2007 and is expected to increase to $1.2 trillion by 2012, whileAsian buying power totaled $459 billion in 2007 and is expected to increase to $670billion by 2012.

Immigrant businesses employ millions o workers: he U.S. Census Bureau estimates

that in 2002, 1.6 million irms provided jobs to 1.5 million employees, had receiptso $222 billion, and generated payroll o $36.7 billion. he same year, 1.1 millionAsian-owned irms provided jobs to 2.2 million employees, had receipts o $326.4billion, and generated payroll o $56 billion.

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Cant We Enorce Our Way out o the Problem?

Forget enorcementits the economy, stupid: Some are saying that increases inimmigration enorcement are working, and the undocumented population o the U.S.is declining. However, most researchers agree that undocumented immigration tothe United States is driven largely by economics. According to a June 2008 report byWayne Cornelius, Director o the Center or Comparative Immigration Studies at theUniversity o Caliornia-San Diego, undocumented migration clearly responds tochanging U.S. economic conditions, with steep increases in the low toward the endo expansion phases o the business cycle and signiicant decreases during economicdownturns.

America needs leaders to secure the border and restore the rule o law: he most

practical and realistic way to reduce undocumented immigration dramatically is tobring U.S. immigration policy in line with economic and social realities. Such a policymust include the ollowing elements: a tough but air program or those here illegally ;a realistic legal immigration ramework that protects U.S. workers while providingneeded labor to American businesses; and controlled but reasonable limits on amilyimmigration which encourage uniication o amilies and stable communities.

Worksite Enorcement

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, approximately 5% o the American labor orceis undocumented. In act, the inlux o undocumented immigrants accounted orabout hal o the growth in the U.S. labor orce over the last decade.

Employers are more likely to be struck by lightening than be ined or hiringundocumented workers: According to the Washington Post, in 2004, just threeemployers were ined or breaking immigration laws. In 2007, ater promising tomake employer enorcement a priority, the Administration ound only 92 employersto arrest and 17 to ine. While the Administration cites a record number o workplacearrests in 2007, 98% were o workers and only 2% were employers. Right now theAdministration dedicates just one wage and hour enorcement agent to every 200,000workers.

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Raids rock the community but dont stop illegal immigration: As the Mayor oPostville said o the May raid, We didnt need this. It literally blew our town away.

Raids tear parents rom their children and people rom their communities. A studyo three raid sites ound that, together with 900 adults, about 500 children wereimpacted, with a large majority being U.S. citizens. Raids also leave local economiesdevastated when workers and consumers are orced to leave.

We need practical and tough solutions: We cannot expect to use raids to deport 12million people, and we cannot deny employers the workers they need until there arelegal channels to bring them to the U.S. We need a new immigrant worker programthat provides visas or workers who can ill U.S. labor needs, while protecting U.S.workers and businesses rom the unscrupulous employers who exploit vulnerableimmigrant labor at the expense o U.S. workers.

Immigrants and Public Beneits

Many Americans ear that immigrants disproportionately use welare or public beneits.Some believe that immigrants are eligible or special beneits that Americans cannotreceive. he act is that undocumented immigrants are not eligible or most publicbeneits and do not use them surreptitiously. Legal immigrants are also restrictedrom receiving many beneits. All immigrants pay taxes to und welare programs,but are not eligible to reap the beneits o many o them.

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible or ederal public beneits: his includesincome supplementse.g., Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI),

and emporary Assistance or Needy Families (ANF)), health care (Medicaid andMedicare), and ood stamps.

Legal immigrants ace tough restrictions in accessing public beneits: Federal lawalso imposes harsh restrictions on legal immigrants eligibility or public beneits.Most documented immigrants cannot receive ederal Medicaid, ANF, ood stamps,or SSI during their irst ive years or longer in the U.S., regardless o how much theyhave worked or paid in taxes.

Immigrants use less health care on average than U.S. citizens: Low-income immigrantsare less likely to receive public beneits than are U.S. citizens. Immigrants do not

come to the U.S. to receive public beneits, and once they are here, they do notdisproportionately use public beneits. According to a study in the American Journalo Public Health, immigrants do not impose a disproportionate inancial burden onthe U.S. health care system per capita total health care expenditures o immigrantswere 55% lower than those o U.S.-born persons. Further restricting immigrantsaccess to beneits is not a solution to our immigration problems.

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Immigrants pay taxes into the system that unds public services: he majority oundocumented immigrants pay ederal and state income taxes, Social Security taxes,and Medicare taxes. And all undocumented immigrants pay sales taxes and propertytaxes. Many studies have ound that undocumented immigrants pay more in taxesthan they receive in beneits. he National Research Council estimated in 1997 thatthe average immigrant pays nearly $1,800 more in taxes than he or she costs inbeneits. Recent state-level studies have ound that immigrants contribute more tothe economy than they take out.

Immigrants and Crime

he persistent myth that immigrants are more prone to criminality than the native-born continues to circulate viciously among politicians, commentators, and the public

despite a centurys worth o contrary evidence that immigrants are less likely than thenative-born to be in prison, and that high rates o immigration are not associatedwith higher rates o crime.

Immigrants are ive times less likely to be in prison than the native-born: A 2007study by University o Caliornia-Irvine sociologist Rubn G. Rumbaut ound thatthe 3.5% incarceration rate or native-born men ages 18-39 was ive times higherthan the 0.7% rate or immigrant men in 2000. he lower incarceration rates oimmigrants compared to natives holds true especially or the Mexicans, Salvadorans,and Guatemalans who make up the bulk o the undocumented population.

Undocumented immigration is NO associated with higher crime rates: Although

the undocumented immigrant population doubled rom 1994 to 2005, the violentcrime rate in the United States declined by 34.2 % and the property crime rate ell by26.4% during the same period. Border cities and other cities with large immigrantpopulations also experienced decreasing crime rates.

Crime is lowest in the states with the most immigrants: According to a 2008 reportrom the conservative Americas Majority Foundation, crime rates are lowest in stateswith the highest immigration growth rates. From 1999 to 2006, the total crime ratedeclined 13.6% in the 19 highest-immigration states, compared to a 7.1% declinein the other 32 states. In 2006, the 10 high inlux statesthose with the mostdramatic, recent increases in immigrationhad the lowest rates o violent crime and

total crime.

he argument that undocumented immigrants are criminals because they areillegal is highly misleading. Unlawul presence in the United States (such asoverstaying a visa) is a civil violation o immigration law, not a criminal violation.Entry Without Inspection (entering the United States without authorization) is

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a misdemeanor. More importantly, neither o these oenses constitutes a threatto public saetyunlike crimes such as murder, assault, and robbery, all o which

immigrants are much less likely to commit than natives.

Why Dont Undocumented Immigrants Just Come Legally?

Many Americans wonder why undocumented immigrants do not come to the U.S.legally or simply get in line or permanent residency (a green card). In act, thelegal immigration system is grossly out o date and has not kept up with the labordemands o our economy. Our laws have not been updated in nearly 20 years, andthere are only limited avenues available or legal immigration. he overly restrictivelegal limits on green cards mean that virtually all undocumented immigrants have noalternative or legal entry into the U.S.

here is no line for the vast majority of undocumented immigrants: Accusationsthat an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrantsabout 5% to 6% o the U.S.workorceshould simply get in line miss the point: here is no line and theregular channels do not include them.

Undocumented immigrants would rather come legally: Many Americans think thatundocumented immigrants want to be undocumented. However, opinion surveys oundocumented immigrants indicate that, i given a choice, 98% would rather liveand work legally in the U.S. and would do so i they could. But most do not havethe necessary amily relationships to apply or legal entry, do not qualiy as reugeesunless they come rom a handul o countries experiencing political unrest, and do

not work in proessions that currently qualiy or a green card.

Getting a green card is easier said than done: he ways to come legally to the U.S.are restricted to certain categories o people.

Employment-based system out of synch with Americas needs: he number ogreen cards is limited to 5,000 per year or the entire United States or less-skilledworkers such as landscapers, hotel workers, and construction workers. his grosslyinsuicient number o green cards or workers in these types o jobs is the crux o theillegal immigration problem in the U.S.

Family immigration is highly restricted: U.S. citizens and green-card holders whomeet strict eligibility requirements can petition to bring in certain eligible oreign-born amily members. However, there are numerical limits on most amily categories,and demand is typically higher than the number o available green cards. his resultsin signiicant backlogs or most amily members hoping to enter the U.S. legally, withimmigrants rom some countries waiting decades or entry.

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Refugees: Persons who can prove a well-ounded ear o persecution may, in somecases, be granted political asylum or reugee status. However, the burden o proo is

high and the process is rigorous. An immigrant does not qualiy as a reugee becauseo poverty or diicult economic conditions in his or her home country.

What is Comprehensive Immigration Reorm?

Comprehensive immigration reorm is a systematic overhaul o the countrysimmigration laws that ocuses on building checks and balances into our immigrationramework. Although most closely associated with legislation irst proposed bySenators Edward M. Kennedy and John McCain, and Congressmen Je Flake andLuis Gutierrez, numerous bipartisan proposals have emerged rom Congress in thelast ew years. While a centerpiece o such proposals is some orm o legalization

or the roughly 12 million immigrants in this country illegally, equally importantto success is a combination o proposals that would ix existing problems and actprospectively to create a well-unctioning national legal immigration system or the21st century. his includes establishing a air but realistic means or regulating utureimmigration needs, securing our borders and saety through eicient application onew enorcement strategies and technologies, ensuring that our system welcomesnew immigrants, and ensuring that all immigration laws respect the principles o dueprocess on which this country is based.

What are the key elements o Comprehensive Immigration Reorm?

Solving the law enorcement and humanitarian dilemma posed by the roughly 12million people living and working in the United States without legal status.

A vast majority o the American public recognizes that mass deportation o personshere illegally is virtually impossible. his is consistent with the opinion held by expertsand analysts who work on immigration policy. While there have been dierentproposals over the years, the program that has the most support among analystsand the American public involves getting right with the law under the ollowingcomponents:

Registration: Undocumented immigrants register with the government, undergoingbackground checks in order to qualiy or the program. hose who do not qualiy

would go through regular removal procedures.

Key Requirements: Other components o earned legalization include learningEnglish, i they havent already; creating a record o paying taxes; possessing nocriminal record, and paying ines and ees as decided by Congress.

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Legal status: I they met all o the requirements, registered individuals and theirimmediate amily members would be allowed to apply or legal status and become

legal permanent residents and eventually U.S. citizens.

Ensuring that immigration enorcement enhances national security and communitysaety without undermining due process protections.

Most experts and analysts, including those in law enorcement, believe that legalizationis one o the key elements to ensuring our countrys saety because it would allow theederal government to ocus on genuine threats posed by those seeking to do thecountry harm rather than individuals who lack status but have committed no othercrimes.

Smart Enforcement: Because Congress has ocused almost exclusively on borderenorcement and related issues in the past ten years, DHS is already well-undedand well-positioned to carry out its enorcement mission; CIR needs to address thereinements that would allow DHS to do that mission in a way that is eicient butrespects the rule o law. Enorcement in the 21st century will likely depend on acombination o strategic placement o personnel, the eic ient use o new technologiesto monitor entry and departure o visitors, and careul coordination with other ederallaw enorcement agencies that deal with issues such as drug smuggling and humantraicking.

Ensuring that the pull o jobs does not lead to new illegal immigration.

One o the major criticisms o the Immigration Reorm and Control Act (IRCA),which legalized approximately our million undocumented immigrants in the late1980s, was the ailure to include provisions or dealing with uture workorce needs.he authors believed that employer sanctions would deter uture undocumentedimmigration, but they did not account or an increased need or immigrant workers.Because overall immigration numbers were not adjusted to meet demand (and haveremained essentially stagnant since 1990), the growing economy, widely available jobs, and ineicient enorcement ueled illegal immigration. he neglect o thisproblem over the years has led to ever more restrictive legislation and proposals toend illegal immigration by punishing those already here. Instead, comprehensiveimmigration reorm must look prospectively at measures that will eliminate as much

as possible the lure o coming illegally to the country. hese measures include:

Assessing Need: A realistic assessment o the number o jobs that will be createdin the coming years which should be illed by immigrant labor when native bornworkers cannot ill the need. Such an assessment requires both a commitment toimproving job opportunities and training or native-born workers and a ocused

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discussion o current immigration caps and numerical limitations across all typeso jobs. It requires an acknowledgement that existing employment based caps are

too rigid and too low to adjust to a changing marketplace, a critical assessment oexisting programs and creative solutions or improving or rethinking the way weallocate employment-based visas.

Employment Verification:An eicient and accessible means o veriying employmentauthorization in order to support employers who want to ollow the law, penalizethose who would try to pay workers under the table (and thus operate at an unaircompetitive advantage) and protect workers rom unnecessary job loss based on poordatabases or other errors. Electronic veriication systems, such as the current E-veriysystem, can only be successul i done in the context o comprehensive immigrationreorm and i the system is improved to protect all workers and minimize errors.

HEALTHCARE IN YOUR STATE

Healthcare reform dramatically improves the state o health care across America. henew health reorm law will guarantee that everyonebusinesses large and small,

seniors, children, those who currently have insurance, and those who donthaveaccess to health coverage they can aord. he new law addresses many o the problemsin state health care systems so that residents will be able to obtain and keep high-quality, aordable coverage that meets their needs.

In these reports, we discuss major gaps in state health coverage systemsgaps thatallow insurers to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, to chargepremiums that are unaordable or amilies and businesses, and to make obtainingcare diicult even or those who have insurance. We also discuss the signiicantways that health reorm addresses these gaps, providing help to residents across thestates.

In addition to these reports, Families USA website provides some of the most updatedinformation on healthcare that you can find. he information is easy to understand

and useful.- Rev. Romal J. une

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HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS & MORE

HealthCare.gov will help take some o the mystery out o shopping or healthinsurance. For too long, it was conusing to identiy your options and compare plans.HealthCare.gov makes comparison shopping easier with a new insurance inder thatallows users to answer a ew basic questions and receive inormation about insuranceoptions that could work or them. he site makes a system that thrived on complicationand conusion easier to understand. his kind o transparency helps create inormedconsumers which increases competition, reduces prices and improves quality.Here are just some o the basics about what you can ind when you visit:

Approximately 500 pages o content

Data or more than 1,000 insurance carriers and 5,561 open products (2,030 in theindividual health insurance market and 3,531 in the small employer health insurancemarket)

Inormation on every Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program in thecountry

Inormation on the Pre-Existing Condition Plan in every state.

Billions o choices. Answer a ew basic questions, and the sites insurance inderautomatically sorts through a huge catalog o public and private coverage options to

help you identiy the ones that are right or you (with billions o potential personalscenarios supported).

HealthCare.gov will continue to get even better. In October, 2010, price estimatesor health insurance plans will be available online, and the site includes easy ways orusers to tell us how we can make HealthCare.gov more helpul and easier to use.

Heres what some olks have said about HealthCare.gov:

Families USAFamilies USA applauds Secretary Sebelius or launching a ground-breaking new

web site or consumers shopping or health coverage or seeking inormation aboutthe Aordable Care Act. Healthcare.gov will allow consumers to make inormedchoices about their health care coverage and encourage competition and transparencyamong health insurers. his irst-o-its-kind web site will provide consumers withtheir health coverage options in a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate way. Wecongratulate the Department o Health and Human Services or creating this onlinetool in a timely and expeditious manner during the three short months since theenactment o the Aordable Care Act. Never beore have consumers been able to view

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all their insurance optionsincluding private market plans, Medicaid, the ChildrensHealth Insurance Program, Medicare, and the new Preexisting Condition InsurancePlansall in one place. Implementing the Aordable Care Act will be no small eat.Americans will welcome a useul, consumer-riendly online resource that is sure to

help ease the process as they reap the beneits o this historic legislation.

National Womens Law CenterWed like to express our appreciation and congratulate the team at HHS on theirremarkable eorts to expeditiously implement key pieces o the Aordable Care Act.his week, two more key pieces o the new law come into eect, including the launcho the new web portal. Sae to say that all consumers will beneit rom healthcare.gov to ind helpul inormation about all available health coverage options. For allpeople looking or insurance coverage, your new web-based resource that launchesthis week is a irst-oits-kind one-stop resource that puts users one click awayrom combined inormation drawn rom many sources about all dierent insuranceoptions, including but not limited to private insurance, public insurance options orpeople with low income, as well as the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans.Never beore have consumers had available to them a resource that combined so manydierent sources o inormation about dierent insurance options. As you no doubtknow, women are health care decision makers or their amilies. he new inormationresources available at HealthCare.gov will help millions o women and their amiliesind health coverage options until the Aordable Care Act is ully implemented in2014. We look orward to the many improvements to come to our health system as aresult o the Aordable Care Act.

AFL-CIOHealth Care.gov, the new HHS website, as called or under the Aordable Care

Act, represents a giant step towards shiting control o health choices in the privateinsurance market rom insurance companies to working amilies. he AFL-CIOapplauds Secretary Sebelius and her sta or such creating a user riendly websitewhere consumers can ind useul and timely inormation on health coverage, choiceand quality. Nothing in the private sector is its equal. HealthCare.gov is an example opublic service at its best in the internet age and it delivers on the Secretarys promise thatHHS will be Americas Helpdesk or health care decisions. he unprecedented rangeand depth o inormation on insurance plans ar outstretches what insurers provide or,in many cases, even disclose on their oerings. In addition the balanced inormationconveys in plain language giving consumers the inormation thats usually gets lost inthe ine print. he cost comparison inormation on plans scheduled to be added inOctober will make the site an even more consumer riendly tool. While the site will bemost immediately useul to those without employment-based insurance the millionso unemployed working amilies who have lost their health coverage in the economicmeltdown o the past two years will ind this enormously helpul it also conveysinormation about improvements down the road or workers with group coverageby explaining in plain language the multiple beneits under the Aordable Care Act.

- Kathleen Sebelius is Secretary o Health and Human Services

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VOTER EDUCATION

Ten you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32)

Voter education is the foundation of all civic participation campaigns. Voters andpotential voters need to know how the political process works, why their vote isimportant and what is at stake if they do not vote.

Successful Voter Education Eorts Will :

Provide opportunities for the community to learn about and engage in discussions

about the issues at stake

Encourage and excite people to be involved in the political process

Educate people about the importance of voting

Let people know their voting rights Explain voter registration laws

Inform voters about the candidates and their positions on specic issues

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES :

Voting Machine Demonstrations: New voters probably have not had anopportunity to use the voting machines and may be intimidated. As a result voters may beafraid to ask questions. You can ask election ocials to bring a machine to your church forthe purpose of teaching people how to use them before Election Day. is helps people feelempowered before they show up on Election Day.

Candidate Surveys or Questionnaires:To learn about a candidates position onan issue or their platform, its usually best to go right to the sourcethe candidates them-selves. Candidates will almost always respond to a questionnaire or survey about their plat-form and campaign. What are the issues important to your community and where does thecandidate stand?

Candidate Forums:Invite all candidates for local, state and federal oce to attend aspecial candidate forum. is can be a debate or it can be an informal question/answersessions. Your moderator must be truly neutral on the issues, and no candidate can bepromoted over another in discussion or materials distributed.

As non-prot organizations, churches must conduct non-partisan voter empowerment ac-tivities. erefore, you cannot invite the candidate of one party without extending the invi-tation to all other candidates. If you invite a Democrat, you must also invite a Republican,and any other legally qualied candidates for the same oce. If one does not show up youhave done your job by extending the invitation and you are legally covered.

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Voter Registration Sunday :Te pastor can designate a specifed Sunday each monthto highlight the churchs registration program, acknowledge the work o volunteers, andrecruit new volunteers. During your registration drives you can invite people that you

registered to attend worship service and acknowledge them during the service.

Distributing a List of Voting Locations : Tis lets people know where to goand reminds them about the upcoming elections. You can hand the list out at churches,supermarkets, shopping centers, local college campuses, etc. Be sure your list is accurateand up-to-date beore distribution, since poll locations requently change, even in the lastdays beore an election.

Public Service Announcements (PSAs) :Many churches have radio and televisionministries. PSAs should encourage voter registration and voter turnout.

LEGAL TARGETS FOR VOTER EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

here are many groups that can be legally targeted or voter education activitiesHowever, slicing your audiences or a desirable partisan outcome or to support aspecifc candidate is not an appropriate activity or non-proft 501(c)(3) organizations.

Some Examples of Legally Targeted Groups Include :

Your own congregation or denomination

Newly registered voters on the database you have created through your voter

registration drive

Young adults and others with a history o disenranchisement Te community surrounding your church and served by your church

Students at area colleges and universities

Seminaries associated with your church or denomination

Secretary of State Oce Elections DivisionIn most states, the Secretary o States Oce is responsible or overseeing elections. Youshould be able to get the ollowing inormation or ree:

1. Election laws2. Absentee voting procedures

3. Election calendars4. Qualifcations or registration5. Sample ballots6. Lists o candidates or state and ederal oce and a list o ballot initiative &

reerendums7. List o voting locations (precincts)

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PREPARING TO GET OUT THE VOTE :

THE 10 WEEK PLAN

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and un-tie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?...Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old

foundations; you will be called the restorers of streets with dwellings.(Isaiah 58:6 &12)

SET YOUR PRIORITIES

Convene your GOV ( Get Out Te Vote) Committee at least 10 weeks in advance of

Election Day to accomplish the following:

1. Review election laws

2. Write a plan for what you will do on Election Day

3. Set GOV goals

4. Prioritize neighborhoods based on where you want to increase turn out

5. Identify other non-partisan partners and meet to discuss programmatic overlap

6. Determine the number of sta and volunteers your eort will need

he goal of your GOV program is to turn out as many voters as possible on Election

Day, including a record number of rst time voters. Start with the people that youregistered, and then expand your eorts to include those registered by your church

and members of the surrounding community. Note: Dont forget the community that isserved by your church in housing, food, or other service eorts.

Create a list of precincts in the neighborhoods you are trying to reach. Draw them ona map. Get in touch with the board of elections to obtain precincts maps based on thecommunities you will work in and then make walk lists (several lists of addresses for teamsto walk door-to-door reminding people where and when to vote). Start in neighborhoodsthat have the highest number of low-income residents and senior citizens because theyusually need the most help getting to and from the polls on Election Day.

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10 WEEKS OUT

Choose your ve coordinators and other identied sta.

Find out if the people you registered are on the rolls by checking with the registrar.

Obtain a list of registered voters in your community.

Compare the list with the database that you created.

Create or obtain precinct maps and identify communities you want to target.

Develop promotional language for recruitment and publicity.

Host a prayer breakfast to check in with your coalition and discuss how you can work

together to get out the vote.

8 WEEKS OUT

Recruit volunteers.

Determine how you plan to get out the vote based on your budget and free resources.

Create iers to hand out at locations and distribute door-to-door.

Get access to phone lines for calling potential voters on and before Election Day.

Plan a GOTV rally.

Coordinate transportation for volunteers.

6 WEEKS OUT

Create nal time line, review progress to date, and modify plan as needed.

Begin media outreach.

Schedule training sessions.

Develop list of supplies.

Create and map where people will go for door to door visits.

Assign volunteers to Election Day tasks, and make sure they are trained.

Make plans to provide transportation for voters.

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4 WEEKS OUT Train volunteerswrite a script for door-to-door visits and phone calls.

Start going door to door talking to people about important community issues and

encourage them to vote on Election Day.

Ask churches to include a GOTV message in Sunday Church Bulletins and/or on

websites and email outreach.

2 WEEKS OUT

Make phone calls to people in your database.

Purchase supplies for Election Day. Create Election Day volunteer teams.

Plan and schedule a press conference with your coalition, including the development of

message points for why you are involved.

Create and distribute church bulletin material.

1 WEEK OUT

Visit all targeted polling places to determine the number of volunteers needed to cove

the area.

Host your GOTV volunteer rally with other non-partisan partners. Make sure you have drivers to take volunteers back and forth on Election Day.

WEEKEND BEFORE

Make calls to voters or go door to door to talk to voters.

Pick up supplies.

Give volunteers assignments.

Have your transportation plans ready : Transportation and Logistics:

Establish how voters will get to the polls and who will provide rides. Do your press conference.

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Section

4 GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGN| gOTV

The church has always been at the heart o community programs, oen providingtransportation, meeting space, fnancial support and volunteers to social justice cam-paigns and organizing eorts.

e Get Out e Vote (GOTV) Phase is the culmination o your nine step processto educate and register potential voters. Now your ocus will have to shi rom voter reg-istration to encouraging the community (and anyone else you can!) to vote. Every part oyour work to this point should be used to help turn out the vote in your community.

e ultimate goal(s) o all your civic participation eorts are to: (1.) create a list o regis-tered voters in your community and (2.) get them involved in voter turnout and improving

the community.

How Do I Increase Voter Turnout?

is is where you get ready to see the results o all your hard work. Answer the ollowingquestions as you plan. You may want to add others:

Budget: Determine the cost o transportation, iers, ood or the day, supplies (clipboards,pens, ashlights and other weather related items).

Volunteers: How many will you need to:

- work in your Election Day headquarters- serve as van drivers- canvas targeted communities- operate phone bank drive, pass out iers, answer phones, run the oce(know how long people can work on Election Day)

What are other organizations willing to do to help?

How many phones will you need to make calls to registered voters?

How many volunteers are needed to make calls? How long will your phone bank last,

and where will it be located? Who will train your volunteers and write the call scripts?

How many drivers will you need to transport voters. How many people does each vehicle-hold? Note: Make sure all volunteers serving as van drivers have a valid drivers licenses.

Determine how many voters you want to turn out on election day.

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Te gOTV Committee

GOTV committee members should focus on publicity, targeting, coordination with

coalition partners, precinct workers, and identifying volunteers to participate in phonebanks and door to door canvassing eorts.

Te gOTV Coordinator

Assign a GOTV Coordinator ten weeks before Election Day. is person should be some-one who is very detail oriented and has a good understanding of local politics. eirresponsibilities should include:

Developing a plan and time line based on GOTV goals

Recruiting volunteers and delegating responsibilities

Obtaining iers and GOTV materials

Obtaining lists

Obtaining overview of election laws, and hooking into local Election Protection

activities

Working with Election Ocials to introduce voters to voting machines and election day

protocol BEFORE election day. (Great activity for a church, especially with new voting

machine technology in so many states.)

Media outreachCoordinating Election Day activities including: poll watching, providing rides to the polls,

ushing and canvassing neighborhoods and overseeing phone banks

Publicity Coordinator

You want as much visibility and free media as possible to help increase voter awareness. ecoordinator should prepare talking points for community leaders, build relationships withlocal media and publicize all GOTV activities.

Volunteer Coordinator

e volunteer coordinator should recruit volunteers and make them comfortable and hap-py. e Coordinator should also make sure all volunteers have time to vote on Election Dayor have voted by absentee ballot before Election Day (you can create a small event if youwant, where you all vote together).

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Section

4

Te Coordinator will oversee volunteers that will :

Canvass to distribute fiers and other materials reminding people to vote

Train other volunteers and orient them to the process

Give voters rides to the polls

Sta GOTV Election Day phone banks

Provide babysitting services or people who dont want to bring their

children to the polls

Monitor polling locations to ensure that voters rights are not being violated

Watch polls to nd out who has not voted

Flush neighborhoods on Election Day by knocking on doors and taking registered

voters to the polls

DOOR KNOCKING

Door knocking is the most eective method o persuading and turning out voters.NOTE: Proessor Don Green at Yale University ound that live and automated phonecalls impact voter turnout by a raction o one percent; direct mail impacts turnout by 0.6

percent per mailing.Door knocking increases turnout by 9.8%.

Supply List or Door Knocking Eforts: Food and drinks Lists

Maps

Proper attire or weather

Scripts

Clipboards

Identication or volunteers

Advance Preparations Include Choosing a meeting site

Recruitment o volunteers

Trainers and training materials

Development o a list o registered voter addresses and telephone lists

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Follow-up Managing and report tallies Acknowledging volunteers and work well-done

Documenting any lessons learned for eorts in t

Our Vote 2010 Guide

Documents

Transcript of Our Vote 2010 Guide