RFS feel-good update (2/14): Small races, big impacts
These small elections are not so sleepy anymore!!
Hi all -
Real quick, some reminders on why Run for Something’s work in local elections — especially local election administrators and school board races — might seem small but have major implications for the future of democracy.
First: A great new outlet, Bolts, has put together an incredible resource for folks looking to better understand how elections are actually run.
The bulk of election administration in the United States takes place at the local level, across thousands of counties and municipalities, as Trump and Bannon’s forces well know. Sleepy offices like county clerk or county auditor determine much of what goes into running elections—determining the number and location of polling places, appointing precinct officials, designing ballots, scheduling early voting options, and overseeing voter registration.
These local officials can ease access to the ballot, and Houston’s clerk drew widespread attention for such reforms in 2020. But they can also mar the election process via policies that close down polling locations, purge eligible residents from the rolls, or fuel long lines. More recently, local officials who subscribe to Trump’s false claims about widespread voter fraud are trying to flex their control over the election system. The county auditor and recorder in Colorado’s Mesa County, for instance, is facing an investigation after she allegedly allowed an unauthorized person to access sensitive election equipment in an attempt to prove that Dominion Voting Systems manipulated the 2020 election results.
These local administrators also have clout in state or federal policymaking.
Read the whole story & check out the database they put together; we’ve been working off the same info to map out candidate recruitment for these positions.
Next, a story that left me fuming: Anger over the decision not to ban a book about a pride parade yielded “a seven-year effort by far-right Christian conservatives in Hood County to seize control of elected offices and government boards from more traditional Republicans. They won spots on the commissioners court, grabbed seats on the library advisory board and, last year, launched a monthslong campaign to oust Michele Carew, the county’s independent elections administrator.”
Meanwhile, QAnon is pushing folks to engage locally, especially around positions that oversee elections — and Moms for Liberty & the Koch-funded Leadership Institute are partnering up to run school board candidate + activist trainings across the country.
None of this is an accident. It’s a long-term strategy to build political power that compounds on itself, overlaid with a short-term effort to mobilize voters around deeply personal issues (like education!) ahead of the 2022 midterms.
Meanwhile, we talked with Salon.com about how real people — like the thousands of candidates Run for Something works with — are the only ones who can save democracy.
Run for Something is fighting back. New endorsements will be out this week — one of our biggest classes yet! — so get excited (and keep an eye on your inbox/social media feeds for details.)
In RFS community updates:
San Antonio City Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez is cosponsoring legislation to create a cost-share program to cover the cost of insulin for San Antonians - more than 15% of people in the county have diabetes. Jalen talked with WNYC about his experience as the first openly gay Black man elected in Texas.
Nebraska Sen. Jen Day is introducing legislation to require kids to be screened for autism before enrolling in kindergarten, to ensure kids don’t fall through the cracks and can have early interventions if needed.
NYC Councilmember Lincoln Restler is digging in on why utility bills are increasing across the city, demanding an investigation into why energy bills have doubled or even tripled. Lincoln’s been busy — just last week, he helped restore water to over 500 families at public housing in his district — and has been getting praised for bridging the gap between the Orthodox Jewish communities and progressives activists he represents.
Also in NYC: City Councilmember Marjorie Velazequez is co-sponsoring legislation to make outdoor dining in the city permanent and easier for businesses to access.
FL Rep. Fentrice Driskell’s bill bringing resources to abandoned African American cemeteries is getting bipartisan support — she’s got a growing reputation for getting shit done.
Meanwhile, as the first queer Black woman in the state house, FL Rep. Michele Rayner is fighting hard against the GOP’s “Don’t Say Gay” ban. This is personal for folks like Michele and current state senate candidate Janelle Perez.
CO Rep. Brianna Titone is introducing legislation that would prohibit employers from denying employment or firing workers for using marijuana.
Ashanti Martinez is running for MD state house because of the way COVID has hurt his community — read more about how this Afro-Latino LGBTQ activist wants to bring his lived experiences to the state legislature.
In the RFS bench watch:
People Magazine profiled Texas State Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s run for U.S. Congress.
NY Sen. Alessandra Biaggi is running for Congress in the newly-drawn New York third.
Pediatrician and state Rep. Yadira Caraveo talked with NPR about her race for CO-8 and why affordability is one of the top issues for her voters.
Two upcoming events to circle on your calendar:
On February 23rd, we’re hosting See Yourself Running for Black leaders considered a run for office. It’s 100% free; help us get the word out!
On February 28th, we’re celebrating five years of Run for Something with an incredible line-up of speakers — VA Del. Brianna Sewell, NYC Councilmember Amanda Farias, Montgomery (AL) City Councilmember Marche’ Johnson, PA Rep. (and U.S. Senate candidate) Malcolm Kenyatta, RI Sen. (and LG candidate) Cynthia Mendes, Memphis City Councilmember (and TN governor candidate) J.B. Smiley Jr. and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, plus more to be announced. In-person tickets start at $50; virtual options are cheaper.
We’ve got a busy week ahead. Let’s go go go!
- Amanda