It may not be much, but....

[He loved Big Brother]

I just dropped my letter to the Secretary of State (WA) into the mailbox. I am now awaiting my official status as a non-profit voting program. My organization is called VAPP (Voter Awareness and Participation Project), which I posted about several months ago on DU.

I am, at first, specifically targeting minority/apathetic/blue-collar potential voters between the ages of 18-26 who *have not or do not attend college*. I am not trying to build mountains here, but I do want to do all I can to help get this demographic to the polls, no matter who they end up voting for. The projects I will be focusing on immediately include basic voter registration, information about any and all elections, helping the homeless figure out how to establish a mailing address so they too can register, and later on, come election time, arranging carpools/transportation to get people to the polls in groups, which has the added benefit of everyone keeping an eye out for each other in regards to sheisty election-officials. Observing and having each other's backs when it comes to preventing ballot-tampering can't hurt, after all. It would also help the disabled get to the polls. Free kick-ass afterparties with food/refreshments for those who voted would be a small but workable incentive, I believe, until a better idea comes to me.

I just want younger people to vote, dammit.

This is all very new to me but I am excited and motivated...I am 24 and extremely dismayed at the apathy and low voter turnout for my age group. So I am going to do what I can, and learn what I can, and have a bit of fun along the way!


Some of the basic ideas so far-

Tabling events and fesitvals around Seattle, with sponsorship from locally-owned businesses. This would *always* include signing people up who are not yet registered.

Fully functional website/calendar (already in the works thanks to living in a tech-town, help is easy to find in that area.)

Distributing, to the best of my ability, non-partisan voting information packets, especially to those not wired to the net. Or information on how to abtain such materials when distribution by hand is unneeded.

FUNDRAISERS, and door-to-door soliciting.


I would appreciate ANY advice/feedback from those who have attempted this sort of endeavor before, especially regarding the younger demographic. I have a zillion ideas, a few people willing to help, and at this point I'm willing to do anything if it means getting just a tad more voter turnout in the demographic I am aiming for. Large in number, but lower-than-desirable appearances at the polls. As soon as I recieve official verification of my status, I will start an email list, and I already have a web designer working on the plain but informative website, and several donors eager to lend their funding to get this show on the road. This will start off as a completely local project for the Seattle area, for now...

IDEAS, please!!

:)

[gristy]

1. Wonderful! Go get em!

Get as much help as you can. I trust you are an outgoing person and don't mind asking for help and likes crowds. You never want to be alone when working on stuff like this.

[He loved Big Brother]

6. Defnitely looking for as much help/advice as I can get.

So far it's but a few of us pledging time/money, but we're *very* motivated for this cause, and we already have several donors lined up to help get us off the ground!

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I think what you're doing is great.

What are the issues that turn on that age/demographic group? How can you relate those interests to what's going on nationally?

Where do they hang out? How do you find them? Do they read anything?

How 'bout getting "their" radio stations to do some GOTV promos as Public Service Announcements? You could write the promos & get the stations to read them on the air. Dunno if that would work on megamedia stations (Clear Channel, etc.), but it can't hurt to try.

Maybe do a focus group on "What do you care about? What should gov't do/be?"

[laruemtt]

4. that's wonderful!

thanks for your involvement on behalf of democracy!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. great idea, good demographic

that we need to get to the polls

[revcarol]

5. Get special rates at all community events for your "booth."

Many non-profits get free space while the Dem Party and businesses have to pony up big-time.

Buy yourself a card-table,several chairs and some patriotic bunting or an American flag,and a big sign:REGISTER TO VOTE HERE.

Get permission to have your table at supermarkets that get a lot of traffic. AVOID Walmart,( which probably won't let you be there anyway.)Hit blue collar industries. Many will allow you to register people to vote during the lunch hour. High schools will allow you the same.

My biggest thrills in registering voters at the Farmers' Market have been registering new voters and ex-felons who are now cleared.And homeless people here ARE allowed to use the street address and box # of the shelter as their living address so they can vote.

BTW, registrations have been 2:l Democratic with Independents and Greens a small minority.(Hey, not all good deeds are punished.)

BELIEVE IT!! IT'S MUCH!!

One suggestion which would take a lot of planning: a bands contest.
The winner would be the band that brought the most new voters to register. You could probably get local businesses to donate door prizes and a grand prize for the winning band.A public parkor someplace like that with electricity for the sound systems is a necessity.

[He loved Big Brother]

7. Kick

:kick: