BIFF BOFF BAM SOCK ISSUE 9
BY ANNA JO BECK
A workbook to get to know your elected officials
THIS WORKBOOK BELONGS TO Name: ______________________________________________
Next Election Date: ______________________________________________ I recommend using a pencil when filling out this zine
PREFACE VOTING IS LIKE FLOSSING: we all know we’re supposed to be doing it, but it’s a private practice that we sometimes let slide by the wayside. And I will admit, looking at a general election ballot is enough to make one’s gums bleed. However, voting is something that if enough people show up for, change can happen (I guess change can happen with daily flossing too, or so my dentist tells me). A record number of people turned out for the hotly contested 2016 general election. WOW! Breaking records! Except that record breaking percentage of the electorate was 61.4%1. Three out of five of eligible adult U.S. citizens cast ballots, meaning two out of five stayed silent. Loads of people are discouraged to vote because “it doesn’t matter, I live in (x) state, which always goes (x).” But there’s so many other elected officials on that ballot! So many direct measures you could be voicing your opinion on. There are lots of reasons for why people don’t vote: some are too busy/ conflicting schedules (early voting is an option!), not liking the candidates (there are so many elections tho!), but the reason why I didn’t vote in my first few elections was because I felt I didn’t know enough about the candidates to have an informed opinion. That’s when I started paying attention - seeking out trusted news sources, discovering which topics I’m passionate about, and learning about what our elected officials do. For me, this has been a process and I’m still learning. I wrote this zine as a way to help others (and myself!) understand the complex American system of elected representation. Through voting we have the opportunity to influence the government, from the president to the alderman. The American government is far from flawless, but voting is one way we can make an impact!
DISCLAIMER:
I am just a citizen with access to the internet, not a political wonk/expert. In fact, the whole reason I am writing this zine is to help sort it all out for myself; how the government works, and how my vote plays into it. I took pains to verify that everything in this zine is as truthful as possible. Let me know if you see anything that can be improved or clarified (or just want to say hello)! Contact info at annajobeck.com 1
Pew Research Center
GETTING REGISTERED While it may seem intuitive to show up to the polls on voting day to cast your ballot, in most states, you must register before election day in order to vote. So, are you registered?
YES
NOT SURE
NO
(Great! Just be sure your address is up to date)
(Check at canivote.org or contact your local election office)
(Read on)
To be eligible to vote, you must: Be a U.S. citizen1 Meet your state’s requirements2 Be at least 18 years old3 Some US Citizens aren’t allowed to vote in certain elections: residents of US territories aren’t allowed to vote for president (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands). Additionally, depending on your state’s constitution, prisoners and ex-offenders may also be prohibited from voting. Also, in many states, a court can deem someone ‘Mentally Incompetent’ and bar them voting - people who have been determined unable to manage their own affairs or make specific life decisions due to mental illness. 1
States also have their own residency and identification requirements to vote. For additional information about state-specific requirements and voter eligibility, contact your state election office: www.usa.gov/election-office 2
Some states allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries or register to vote if they will be 18 before the general election. 3
HOW TO REGISTER If you meet those requirements, let’s move on to getting you registered to vote. It’s easy and urgent because in most states there is a deadline to register in advance of elections. Generally it’s 2-6 weeks before the election date, but the deadline varies state by state as well as by method of registration. There are 3 easy ways to register to vote: Online1
By Mail2
In Person3
No matter which method you to choose to register, they all require the same basic information (and this is it, really!): •
Name
•
Home address
•
Mailing address
•
Date of birth
•
Telephone (usually optional - just used to follow up if there are any questions on your application)
•
ID number (what’s accepted varies state to state, but generally your social security number or your driver’s license number will work)
•
Choice of party (again, usually optional and you can write in “no party”)
•
Race/ethnic group (a few states ask for your race or ethnic group, in order to administer the Federal Voting Rights Act)
•
Your signature
As of December 6, 2017 a total of 37 states plus the District of Columbia offer online registration. Easily see if your state offers online registration at vote.gov 1
Using the National Mail Voter Registration Form (note that New Hampshire accepts it only as a request for an absentee voter mail-in registration form) 2
Places to register in person: The department of motor vehicles; State or local voter registration and/or election offices; Public assistance agencies; Armed services recruitment centers; State-funded programs that serve people with disabilities; Any public facility that a state has designated as a voter registration agency 3
If you have further questions about registering to vote, www.headcount.org/voting-faq. Also, be aware that voting is a right, and something we may have to continue to defend, unfortunately. More info at www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights.
YOUR VOTING PROFILE Now that you’re registered to vote, let’s make a note of exactly which election district you live in and your polling center: I am registered to vote at this address: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Location of my polling place1: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
find your polling station at gttp.votinginfoproject.org (no that’s not a typo, gttp is short for “get to the polls”). There also may be an alternative location for early voting v. election day. 1
FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BRANCH WHO THEY ARE:
Basically the president, right? Yes, but it’s also the vice president, the cabinet, executive departments and agencies. While the 15 members of the cabinet1 are appointed by the president (and approved by the Senate), we do vote for the president and their vice president running mate. Executive Departments: Dept of Agriculture (USDA) Dept of Commerce (DOC) Dept of Defense (DOD) Dept of Education (ED) Dept of Energy (DOE) Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS) Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Dept of Justice (DOJ) Dept of Labor (DOL) Dept of State (DOS) Dept of the Interior (DOI) Dept of the Treasury Dept of Transportation (DOT) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
WHAT THEY DO:
The Executive branch carries out the laws of the United States. The president serves as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, works out treaties, and authorizes aid to other countries. S/he appoints ambassadors to represent the United States abroad. The President also appoints the heads of more than 50 independent federal commissions, such as the Federal Reserve Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as federal judges2, and other executive agencies such as the CIA and Environmental Protection Agency, the heads of which are not part of the Cabinet, but they do fall under the full authority of the president. The president is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress. As for the vice president, their main responsibility is to be ready to take over the presidency should the president die, but on a day to day basis act as a ceremonial assistant to the president. They also act as presiding officer of the senate, but in reality they only step in senate affairs to cast a tie breaking vote. HOW THEY’RE ELECTED:
Although millions of Americans vote in a presidential election every four years, the president is not, in fact, directly elected by the people. Instead, every 4 years on Election Day (the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November, so if the first Tuesday of Nov. is the 1st, election day is on the 8th) the people elect the members of the Electoral College. Apportioned by population to the 50 states — one for each member of their congressional delegation (# of senators + # of representatives) (with the District of Columbia receiving 3 votes) — these Electors then cast the votes for President. There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College3.
CURRENT REPRESENTATION Current President of the United States:________________________________ Current Vice President:______________________________________________ Number of Electoral College votes your state has:_______________________ Circle below which best applies to your state currently: Consistently Democratic - Consistently Republican - Swing State
While you can’t vote on the cabinet, you can certainly contact the president via their comment line 202-456-1111 (since they nominate them) and your senators (who vote to approve them) and let them know what you think of the nominee’s policies! 1
I’m not going to be writing about the federal judiciary branch because citizens can’t vote for them. The president appoints the more than 600 judges that sit on district courts, almost 200 judges sit on courts of appeals, and 9 justices of the Supreme Court. All federal judges have life terms. The president often trusts in recommendations from the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, members of Congress, sitting judges and justices, and the American Bar Association. The senate votes to approve all federal court appointments and confirms candidates upon a simple majority. 2
Check out www.270towin.com to see how many electoral college votes your state has, and what its voting history is. 3
More info on the responsibilities of the president, vice president, cabinet members: www. whitehouse.gov/our-government/executive-branch
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress and they create the laws of the land. Pretty simple, yeah? WHO THEY ARE:
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their population (California has 53 reps; seven states only have 1.) In addition, there are 6 nonvoting members: the DC, Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States. Your representative’s term is only 2 years and is from your congressional district. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected by the representatives themselves. The speaker is third in the line of succession to the Presidency. The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. Both senators represent the interest of their entire state, and have terms of 6 years. WHAT THEY DO:
The legislative branch makes the laws through a system of checks and balances. To create a federal law, first, a representative writes and sponsors a bill. Legislators get ideas for bills from lobbyists of various types of interest groups, ranging from corporate groups to labor unions to advocacy organizations. Once sponsored the bill is then assigned to a committee of assigned representatives for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated, or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill. If the bill gets this far, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. Once approved, the President has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor. Most bills die in committee and never receive a second or third reading on the floor of the legislature. Lawmaking requires frequent consensus, not just among the legislators in a given house but also between the two chambers. In addition to making laws, they also have other powers: declare war, raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure, impeach and try federal officers, approve presidential appointments (judges and cabinet members), approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch,
oversight and investigations. The House also has “power of the purse” and maintains budgets/appropriations for federal spendings (Medicare, social security, defense etc). Because these are our representatives to the federal government, these are the people who will be most affected by your direct input on federal matters (via phone calls, letters, etc.) As they are elected by you and represent your interests. HOW THEY ARE ELECTED:
Every even numbered year, (2016, 2018, etc.) every member of the house of representatives is up for election. Senator's terms are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years, again, on even numbered years. When these elections don’t coincide with the presidential election, they are refereed to as mid-term elections. Unlike the presidential election process, members of Congress are elected directly by the people of their state and district.
CURRENT REPRESENTATION Your Congressional District Number: __________________________________ Congressman: ______________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ D.C. & District office phone: _______________________________________ Senator:____________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ D.C. & State office phone: ________________________________________ Senator:____________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ D.C. & State office phone: ________________________________________ Find your Congressional representation and their contact information easily at www. whoismyrepresentative.com
STATE EXECUTIVE BRANCH Welcome to the laboratories of democracy: State government! Each state is free to organize its executive departments and agencies in any way it likes, but it usually mirrors the structure of the federal branches: executive, legislative and judiciary. However, state governments draft their own constitutions. This has resulted in substantial diversity among the states with regard to every aspect of how their governments are organized. Because of this diversity, I’m going to be speaking generally, so you should do some research on your own state’s specifics. WHO THEY ARE:
The executive branch of every state is headed by an elected Governor. The Governor is a state’s chief executive. While at the federal level, the president and vice-president are the only elected executive positions, state governments often have several high ranking officials that are elected. Some examples include: Lieutenant Governor1 - Succeeds the governor in office and presides over the senate. Secretary of State2 - Keeps state records (ex: registering businesses, recording the official acts of the governor.) Also often serves as the chief election official in their state. Attorney General3 - Responsible for representing the state in all court cases and a substantial influence on a state’s approach to law enforcement. Treasurer4 - Oversees revenue & finances, generally acting as the state’s chief banker. Auditor5 - Makes sure that public money has been spent legally. Additionally, acts as a watchdog over other state agencies. Superintendent of Public Instruction6 - Heads state department of education. (Other state executives include: Insurance Commissioner, Controller/Comptroller, Agriculture Commissioner, Labor Commissioner, Public Service Commissioner)
Similar to the president, there are also unelected members of a governor’s cabinet that head the various departments of state government, which in turn consists of divisions, offices, and/or agencies. A state government may also include various boards, commissions, councils, corporations, offices, or authorities, which may either be subordinate to an existing department or division, or independent altogether. WHAT THEY DO:
The Governor is chiefly responsible for making appointments to state agencies and offices. These powers include: The ability to appoint for specific posts in the executive branch, drawing up budget, clemency and military powers, and the power to veto bills passed by the legislature. HOW THEY’RE ELECTED:
A governor can serve either a two or four year term, and in 25 states, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket. Thirty-
seven states have term limits on the governor. As you can see by the footnote, other offices vary state by state if they are elected or appointed.
CURRENT REPRESENTATION State Governor: _____________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________ Lieutenant Governor: ________________________________________________ Secretary of State: __________________________________________________ Attorney General: ___________________________________________________ Treasurer: __________________________________________________________ Auditor: ____________________________________________________________ Superintendent of Public Instruction:__________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
45 states have a lieutenant governor. In two of the 45 states, the speaker of the upper house of the state legislature serves in such a capacity. 1
2
47 states have a Secretary of State. It is elected in 35, appointed in 12.
all 50 states have an Attorney General. It is elected in 43. Others are appointed by either the governor, state legislature or state supreme court. 3
48 states have a treasurer. It is elected in 36. Of the 12 states that appoint, the governor is responsible for appointment in 8 while the legislature is responsible in the other 4. 4
48 states have a state auditor. It is a partisan position in all 24 states where publicly elected. Generally, appointed auditors serve as nonpartisan officials. 5
all 50 states have a superintendent; it is elected in 13. Where appointed, power of appointment is given to the state Board of Education in 18, to the governor in 17, and to the state Board of Regents in 2. 6
Lots more information on specific state governments here: www.usa.gov/state-tribal-governments
STATE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH It’s easy to get lost in the daily headlines about the federal Congress, while there seems to be much less volume on state based legislature. Yet, this is where your input on municipal issues is heard and felt much more, from the roads we drive on to the water we drink, policing to gun laws -- all things regulated by our state law makers. Like the Federal Congress, the state legislatures serve three primary functions: perform a lawmaking function, represent their districts and provide oversight function for the executive branch. State legislators don’t wield the only legislative power in state government; some measures are put directly to the state’s citizens to a vote, by petitioning a measure and getting it on a ballot for a general vote1. WHO THEY ARE:
All states (except Nebraska) have a bicameral legislature made up of two chambers: a smaller upper house and a larger lower house, similar to Congress. The smaller upper chamber is always called the Senate, and its members generally serve longer terms, usually four years. The larger lower chamber is most often called the House of Representatives, but some states call it the Assembly or the House of Delegates. Its members usually serve shorter terms, often two years. Currently, there are 7,382 state legislators in the United States. In the Upper house, membership can range from 21 (Delaware) to 67 (Minnesota). In the Lower House membership can range from 40 (Alaska and Nevada) to 400 (New Hampshire). WHAT THEY DO:
State Legislators get ideas for bills from laws passed in other states, policies that diffuse from the federal government, from lobbyists and interest groups, from constituents in the officeholder’s district who approach them with problems they would like to see addressed by implementing new laws, and from their own personal policy agenda. State legislators also work with the governor’s agenda in the course of each legislative session, and they must pass a budget for their state either every year or every two years. In most states, a new state legislature convenes in January of the oddnumbered year after the election of members to the larger chamber. The period during which the legislature remains in session varies. In states where the legislature is considered part-time (ex: Montana, New Hampshire), a session may last several months; where the legislature is considered full-time (ex: California, New York), the session may last all
year, with periodic breaks for district work. The compensation for state legislatures also varies greatly, from $109 per diem in WY to $104,118 annual salary in California, and is determined in the state constitution. HOW THEY’RE ELECTED:
Different states have different term lengths and requirements, but your state legislators generally will be elected from different state district maps: one map for the upper house and another for lower house. Term limits, whether they cap lifetime service or consecutive terms, have become popular in many states, though some have overturned them as unconstitutional.
CURRENT REPRESENTATION Your State Senate District Number: ___________________________________ State Senator: ______________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________ Your State House District Number: ____________________________________ State Congressmen: ________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________
Really cool database of statewide ballots dating back to the late 1800s: www.ncsl.org/ research/elections-and-campaigns/ballot-measures-database.aspx 1
Find links to your state legislature’s website here: www.congress.gov/state-legislaturewebsites (warning, they are pretty terrible as far as usability)
COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT We made it! We’re so close to home, I can almost see my house from here! Last but certainly not least, we have our most local levels: counties1 which are the form of government that is right below the state, and then cities. There are 3,481 countries in the US, with an average of 100,000 people each. Many rural areas and even some suburban areas of many states have no municipal government below the county level. In other places consolidated city–county jurisdictions exist, in which city and county functions are managed by a single municipal government. And then there are cities and townships with their own elected officials. There are an estimated 19,500 municipal governments and nearly 16,500 township governments in the United States. WHO THEY ARE:
Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission, board of supervisors, commissioners’ court, county council, board of chosen freeholders, county court, or county Legislature. The leader of a county board -- whose title may be chairman, chief of staff, president, commissioner, administrator or executive-- may be elected by citizens or appointed by his or her fellow board members, and handles the day-to-day functions. Other board member roles can include: County Treasurer - Oversees the collection and distribution of funds within the county. County Clerk - Oversees the registration of voters, certifies election results for the county, keeps the official birth, death, and marriage records. County Assessor - Conducts property tax evaluations and informs individual citizens or business owners of their right to contest the appraised value of their property. County Coroner - Investigates the cause of death when suspicious circumstances are present. County Engineer - Oversees the maintenance and construction of county infrastructure.
At the city level, a mayor works with a council to run the city departments and produce a budget. WHAT THEY DO:
County government is responsible for performing all legislative and executive functions. These include adopting a budget, passing county resolutions, and hiring and firing county officials. Counties help to maintain roads and bridges, courthouses and jails, parks and pools, public libraries, hospitals, and clinics. To provide these services, county governments typically rely on property tax revenue, a portion of sales tax receipts, and funds from intergovernmental transfers by way of federal or state grants. Depending on the city, a mayor could be able to veto the actions of the council, appoint and terminate department heads, etc. Alternatively, the mayor may have little authority and acts in a ceremonial capacity as a spokesperson for the city.
Municipal governments are responsible for providing clean water, sewage, garbage disposal, maintenance of city facilities (parks, streetlights, and stadiums). They address zoning and building regulations, promote the city’s economic development, and provide law enforcement, public transportation, and fire protection. HOW THEY’RE ELECTED:
County government is most commonly run on the commission system. Under this structure, an elected commission, which generally consists of a small number of commissioners, serves as the governing body within the county. Municipal governments tend to operate on one of two governing models: one where voters elect both a mayor and members of the city council or the council appoints the mayor themselves.
CURRENT REPRESENTATION I’m just going to put in some lines so you can fill this out for your own situation
___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 1
also known as parishes (Louisiana) and boroughs (Alaska)
GENERAL ELECTIONS Now that we have the various level of govenment squared away, let’s take a look at the different kinds of elections. The United States is somewhat unique in that the timing of our federal elections is determined by the Constitution, so general elections are on a very regular schedule: “the first Tuesday after November 1” and occur on even numbered years (2018, 2020, etc.) General elections in which presidential candidates are not on the ballot are reffered to as Midterm Elections. Terms for those elected begin in January the following year; the President and Vice President are inaugurated (“sworn in”) on Inauguration Day, which is usually on January 20. Many state and local government offices are also elected on Election Day as a matter of convenience and cost saving, although a handful of states hold elections for state offices (such as governor) during odd-numbered “off years”, or during other even-numbered “midterm years”, and may hold special elections for offices that have become vacant. Election Day is a public holiday in some states (Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and the territory of Puerto Rico.) Some other states require that workers be permitted to take time off with pay.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS A primary election is the process by which voters, either the general public or members of a political party, can indicate their preference for a candidate in an upcoming election, thus narrowing the field of candidates. Primaries are used in various countries throughout the world but its origins can be traced to the progressive movement in the United States, which aimed to take the power of candidate nomination from party leaders to the people. Nowadays, there are a few different types of primaries: Open Primary - an election that permits voters to choose on Election Day the party primary in which they wish to vote. They may vote for candidates of only one party. (A blanket or “free love” primary is a type of open primary. In the voting booth you mark a ballot that lists the candidates for nomination of all the parties, and thus you can help select the Democratic candidate for one office and the Republican candidate for another.)
Closed Primary - the selection of a party’s candidates in an election limited to registered party members. Prevents members of other parties from “crossing over” to influence the nomination of an opposing party’s candidate. Runoff Primary - if no candidate gets a majority of the votes, a runoff is held to decide who should win. Presidential Primary - a primary used to pick delegates to the presidential nominating conventions of the major parties. Other methods of selecting candidates include caucuses, conventions, and nomination meetings.
SPECIAL ELECTIONS Special Elections are used to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections. In most cases these elections occur after the incumbent dies or resigns, but they also occur when the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office (because of a recall, ennoblement, criminal conviction, or failure to maintain a minimum attendance).
VOTER TURNOUT (AND SUPPRESSION) I mentioned this in my preface, but voter turnout in the US is very low, especially in non-presidential elections. The Pew Research Center ranked the U.S. 31st out of 35 countries for voter turnout based on the voting age populace, among the mostly democratic nations that are a part of the OECD. There are a lot of factors that contribute to this trend: voter frustration with non competitive races, complexity of ballots, general disinterest. The most vicious reason people’s votes may go missing is the violation of voter’s rights. In 2008, we had the most diverse electorate in U.S. history, but from 2011 to 2012, 27 measures were passed or implemented in 19 states that make it harder to vote. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down what had been called the “heart” of the Voting Rights Act. Regardless of reason, turnout in presidential election years as ranges from 50%-60% of the voting age population, but midterm election turnout has ranged from 48% to 2014’s low of 36%. Voting in midterm, primary, and special elections is crucial because a smaller portion of the electorate can change the tide! In addition to your own vote, we need to support Americans—particularly black people, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities—in their effort to exercise their fundamental right to cast a ballot.
YOUR OWN BELIEFS Knowing your representatives is all well and good, but the next step is comparing your beliefs to those who represent you. Maybe you’re not sure what exact topics you feel strongly about that your representative can effect change on. Here’s a mix of position questions from Vote Smart’s “political courage test” which they’re researched as the top concerns for voters in 2018. Read though and circle yes or no to the questions. If neither feel right, feel free to indicate where on the dotted range fits, or circle “unsure” if that feels right ABORTION: YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you generally support pro-choice legislation? BUDGET:
In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? CAMPAIGN FINANCE:
Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
CRIME:
Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders? ECONOMY:
EDUCATION:
Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:
GUNS:
Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
YES
NO
UNSURE
Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
YES
NO
UNSURE
HEALTH CARE:
Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”)? IMMIGRATION:
MARIJUANA:
Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes? MARRIAGE:
Do you support same-sex marriage? NATIONAL SECURITY:
Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon? Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
Through trusted news media and politicians’ own statements (or at votesmart.org where they provide politicians’ answers on these very questions!) you can begin to see the overlap or contrast with your beliefs. Some candidates will agree with you on some things and not on others. If they support policies that you don’t agree with, let them know as their constituent that you have an opposing view. If they are acting in agreeance with your values, great! It’s still wonderful to contact their office to let them know that you support them in their efforts. Constituent support gives them hard evidence to bring to the opposition.
CONTINUE LEARNING AND COMMUNICATING Great! Now we know who representus us and the issues about which I am passionate! Now what? Now it’s time to find a way to bring this into your daily life. Find convenient, truthful media sources to learn about your representatives and upcoming candidates. Contact them to let your voice be heard. Keep up to date on upcoming elections. Talk to your friends about issues and voting! INFO ON AMERICAN POLITICAL STRUCTURE:
Information on all offices of government: ballotpedia.org Free online course on American civics courses.lumenlearning.com/amgovernment RESOURCES FOR YOUR CANDIDATES AND REPRESENTATIVE’S VIEWS
Election information www.vote411.org Create you next state and federal ballot and research candidates at ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup www.votesmart.org Find ALL your reps (from president to county board president) www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/ RESOURCES FOR CONTACTING YOUR REPS
Have a specific topic you want to contact someone about? www.usa.gov/contact-by-topic Want to contact a specific person? www.usa.gov/elected-officials Not sure what to say when you call your reps? It can be as simple as “Hi, my name is ___, I’m a constituent from (town), zip code #####, I don’t need a response. I am (for/against) (policy) and i encourage (representative) to (support/oppose) implementation of (policy). Thanks for your hard work at answering the phones!” More info: gumroad.com/l/callthehallsguide
BEYOND VOTING Voting is a huge step in citizen participation, but there’s a chance that if you’ve made it this far in the zine, you may be interested in other forms of political participation. Go you! There’s still lots to do! Contacting your reps has been mentioned, and I want to expand on it a little bit. Congressional staffs can be small (~15 people) and Senatorial staffs are around 40. Be kind, they have a lot of work to do. Calls are the most effective: try both DC and state offices, once per issue. Functionally, they tally your call and report your concern to your rep. Social media isn’t an effective tool for contacting your rep; they need to verify you are a constituent and the process is too onerous. Consider social media to be a way to receive info from a rep than a way to contact them. If you’re going to send an email, a personal story will go further than a copy paste form letter. Include a direct action you’d like to see (a bill number, a statement to be made, etc) and of course be respectful. Also a great alternative if phones are busy/VM box is full. Being informed and critical thinking are both soft skills that make you a better citizen, and a resource for friends and family. Learn to discuss politics in a nuanced, knowledgeable and empathic way. You could start a blog or use social media to create a community, or join one that already exists. You can help others access voting by helping people register1, or giving someone a ride to their polling place. Donating time and money is also an option, through volunteering or sponsoring others. There are community and advocacy groups, both local and national, that you can join (or create!) to help clean parks, provide supplies to teachers, spread information, etc. Getting involved in a campaign you’re passionate about can be as following your reps on social media (and their enewsletters), attend a town hall or city council meeting, joining a phone bank, or going door-to-door canvasing with their campaign. Bring a friend along! And of course, there’s always the option to run for office yourself! I have a free mini zine that is a step by step guide to registering to vote, along with deadlines for every state. Download it, print at home, and/or read online all for free at annajobeck.com/voting 1
___________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL THANKS TO Neil for proofing and being a civic role model of mine, Mike for proofing and support, and Cynthia for boundless enthusiasm.
NOTES ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting. -Franklin D. Roosevelt
this zine will help you: REGISTER TO VOTE. LEARN ABOUT THE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. PUT A NAME TO WHO IS REPRESENTING YOU. LOOK AT WHAT THEY’VE SUPPORTED. LET YOUR OPINION BE KNOWN TO THEM. VOTE. SPREAD THE WORD.
This zine will always be available to read online for free. I will do my best to keep it updated. issuu.com/annajobeck If you’d to support this zine, you can buy a physical copy (and my other how-to zines) at annajobeck.storenvy.com All comments and suggestions welcome at annajobeck.com
Date updated: _________________________________